A Series of Supernatural Events
by Houddy
Summary: This is a HouseDresden Files crossover. Cuddy has a past that House couldn't imagine in his wildest dreams, and now it's come back with a vengence.
1. Prolog

**PROLOG: A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT**

The night was dark, and stormy. Chicago was shrouded in a thick, dense fog. The kind of fog that you usually only see in low budget horror films. A lone figure walked across a wet street. The rain had stopped some time ago, but the streets still glistened with its remains.

The full moon struggled behind a veil of heavy clouds. Every once in while, its bright beams would light up the street. When that happened, a shadowy figure would stop and look around, searching for something.

A howl broke into the still night air. It was coming from the east.

A woman stopped dead in her tracks. She had heard the noise too. But for her, the howl wasn't coming from the east, or any other compass point. It was right in front of her, and she could see, in the pale beam of moonlight, that the menacing growl was coming from the strangest, scariest dog she'd ever seen.

She let out a high pitched scream. It filled the night with terror.

The man, dressed in a long, black coat ran full force toward the sound of the scream. It was enough to wake the dead. He prayed that it wouldn't. Mumbling something under his breath, he reached under his worn coat and pulled out a long rod. His other hand reached for his gun.

The woman was no longer screaming. She couldn't. Where her vocal cords had once made beautiful music on the stages of some of the world's greatest opera houses, there was now nothing but a gaping hole, and blood; lots of blood.

He was too late. He looked around for the creature that had done this. Given the full moon, and the brutality for which she was attacked, Harry was certain he was looking for a werewolf. He hated dealing with werewolves. They had no reasoning abilities. They were mindless killing machines at every full moon. The trouble was, when the moon wasn't full, they were perfectly ordinary human beings; bankers, fathers, school teachers, you name it. Werewolves were, for the majority of their life, just like anyone else. Harry Dresden hated killing werewolves.

A light rain began to fall. That's how the night had gone; rain on and off and the ominous rolls of thunder in the distance, threatening to attack the city at any moment. Harry looked down at the body one last time; then set off to kill himself a werewolf.

An hour later, bloody and badly beaten, he headed for home. He kept telling himself, as he walked the lonely street, that he'd made the city a little bit safer. But he kept imagining in his head, the small, huddled man he had killed. Once you kill a werewolf, they revert back to their human form, and this one looked to be a middle aged accountant. He probably had a wife whose better days had passed and two or three kids in school. Probably had a dog too. Just a nice guy in a dead end job who ended up on the wrong end of a really bad curse.

His apartment was as he left it, a mess. Most of the furniture had been overturned during a rather nasty battle. The windows where blown out, and a small corner of the main room was still smoldering. He would deal with it tomorrow. All he wanted to do was go to bed.

He stopped. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a small, red blinking light. He groaned. He hated the phone but, being the small business owner he was, if you could call what he did a small business, he needed a phone, and an answering machine, for when some millionaire decided to make him an offer he couldn't refuse.

He hit the button and waited for the message, which was most likely his landlord. He slapped his forehead. He'd forgotten to pay the rent…again. It was a miracle he hadn't been evicted by now.

Much to his surprise, it was not his landlord.

"Harry? Um…" She sounded nervous, uncertain. "I don't know if you remember me." He recognized the voice right away. "It's Lisa…Cuddy… from school." How could she possibly think he'd forgotten her? "I need your help. I don't normally…it's complicated. Is there any way you could come to Princeton, NJ? I'll pay for the trip, hotel, everything. Just please, let me know soon." Click. The line went dead.

But wait folks, there's more. Harry listened as a second message began. "Harry, it's Murphy. I need you downtown. RIGHT NOW!"

Harry looked at the phone in disbelief. He had been out all night, fighting off a pack of rather dangerous werewolves, a lovely damsel from the past was in distress, and now he had to go down to the police station and get harassed by Detective Murphy.

Harry grabbed a carton of cold Chinese from the ice box and headed back out the door.

Half an hour later, he walked into Murphy's office. He was a mess, his hair more unkempt than usual, his favorite duster torn in several places with a set of rather nasty looking claw marks running down the back. There was also a fair amount of blood splattered here and there.

"What the hell happened to you?" Murphy's eyes grew wide at the sight of him. She'd seen Harry banged up badly many times, but she never really got used to it.

"I rushed over here so fast when I got your message that I tripped over a rock." Harry plopped down into a chair.

"It must have been a very big rock," Murphy replied skeptically.

"It was. With very large teeth." Harry picked up the coffee cup on her desk and took a swig. He fought the urge to spit it out, and made a valiant effort to swallow. "It's cold!"

"I didn't ask you here for a coffee break."

"I already knew that. So, what's up?" Harry was often called in by Murphy for the more inexplicable of her cases. They had an agreement. She paid him a consulting fee and he pretended he was just an ordinary detective when anyone asked.

"What do you know about this?" Murphy slid a photo across the desk. Harry cringed and pushed it quickly away. He'd seen the carnage first hand; he didn't need a photo reminder of the mangled body of the woman he'd failed to save.

"Looks bad."

"Yeah. Looks bad," she mimicked him. Sometimes she wondered if working with Harry Dresden was really worth the hassle.

"I'll see what I can find out." Harry was about to get up, but Murphy reached over and grabbed him.

"Funny thing is; we have a witness." She didn't sound like she found it funny. Harry's heart sunk as she stood up and started walking toward him, pulling her handcuffs off her belt as she went.

"You don't think I did this?!" Harry looked down at the photo reluctantly then quickly looked away. No matter how much he saw in his line of work, he never could get used to the bloody violence of it all.

"If I don't arrest you for this Dresden, people are going to wonder if I'm such a good cop. You were seen at the scene of the crime, and eye witness described you to a tee."

"It was dark, lots of guys look like me in the dark."

"Wouldn't know." Murphy didn't really sound like she was enjoying this at all. "Besides, he knew your name."

Harry thought for a moment. Who…

"Let's just do this." She clamped one cuff around his right wrist. "Harry Dresden, you have the right to remain silent…"

"I don't want to remain silent. I didn't do anything to remain silent about." That wasn't entirely true. He did go running around Chicago in search of a werewolf, and felt like remaining pretty silent about that, but still, he was innocent of what she was arresting him for.

"Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney,"

"Don't know any." It was true.

"If you cannot afford an attorney…" she was slapping the other cuff on his other wrist.

"Come on Murphy, it's me. You don't have to go through all this."

"One will be provided for you by a court of law." She sighed. "It's my job Harry. I'm sorry."

"Your job sucks." Harry mumbled.

"Do you understand these rights as I have presented them to you?" She didn't disagree.

"Nope." Harry wasn't going to play nice.

"Harry?" She pleaded.

"Yeah, I understand my rights, but do you understand that you're arresting an innocent man?"

Her answer was nothing more than a sigh. She looked tired. She sounded tired. Murphy was the one woman authority against things that went bump in the night. The rest of the force laughed at her behind her back. Few of them dared laugh to her face. She might be small, but she had a big bite.

Harry would be lying if he said he couldn't feel something big coming. He tried to lie to himself about it, ignore the signs, the increase in late night attacks, but if it was affecting Murphy, well, there was one thing Harry couldn't ignore, and that was a woman in need.

4


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE: BEGINNINGS**

Lisa Cuddy sat at her desk, pouring over the hospital finances. Things were bad, and the offer that blowhard Vogler had given her was looking better and better. That kind of money could do a lot of good at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. But it would also mean losing the best doctor she had, and right now, that just wasn't an option.

The door opened slowly, cautiously. Cuddy looked up from her desk. "Is everything alright Nurse Previn?" Her trusted bulldog of a head nurse stood before her desk, looking uncharacteristically weak.

"I need a few days off Dr. Cuddy." She sounded upset, angry with herself, or the situation.

"That's not like you. Are you feeling well?" Cuddy stood up instinctively and approached her employee. She stopped when the woman recoiled.

"I think I've come down with something." In the eight years Brenda Previn had worked at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital she had never taken a sick day.

"Of course, if you're not feeling well…perhaps one of the doctors…" Cuddy was abruptly cut off.

"No!" Brenda caught herself off guard. Fear crossed her eyes briefly. "No thank you doctor. I just need some rest."

"You'll tell me, if you need anything?" Cuddy sounded skeptical. She had worked with enough stubborn, hard headed people in her time to know that they never asked for help.

"I will. Thank you." Brenda practically bowed before hurrying out of the office. Cuddy watched her carefully.

If only that had been the strangest thing to happen recently; but it wasn't. There was a young boy, came into the clinic with some very unusual symptoms. Symptoms Cuddy recognized all too well. That's why she needed Dresden. He specialized in this sort of thing.

Wilson had insisted it was cancer, and Cuddy went ahead and let him believe that. It was easier than trying to convince him of the truth. At first it did seem like cancer, a slow dark mass creeping through his body, destroying every organ in its path. But then she had that dream...

The dream is what prompted her to call Harry Dresden. It was one of those dreams you don't really remember when you wake up, but you know it was bad, real bad, near death bad. She'd woken in a cold sweat, screaming out into the darkness. Whatever it was that had been chasing her vanished when she opened her eyes, but she would have sworn she could still feel it there in the room, watching her, waiting.

She hadn't been alone in the dream. Actually, the more she thought about it through the rest of that long night, the more she felt that she wasn't the one running. She was chasing the monster. Why the hell would she do that? There was only one reason. Someone she cared about was going to be killed if she didn't.

Harry's phone rang and rang, suddenly someone picked up and just as she was about to say hello, she realized it was the machine. She was a bit relieved when she heard the slow, deep voice tell her to leave a message. She wasn't ready to face the real Harry, not just yet.

"Harry? Um..." she stumbled over her words. She'd prepared what she was going to say, but the machine had thrown her off. She wasn't expecting him to have one. Harry wasn't exactly hip to the latest technology, and to him, an answering machine was cutting edge technology. "I don't know if you remember me." That was a ridiculous thing to say. They had known each other for a few years. She hoped she wasn't that forgettable. She pushed on. "It's Lisa...Cuddy...from school." She wanted to hang up. She nearly did, but a flash of that dream came into her head. A tall man, running for his life, hampered by a pronounced limp. "I need your help." She knew that would get his attention, if he hadn't already erased the message. Damn, she should have started with that. "I don't normally..." beg for help, but..." it's complicated. Is there any way you could come to Princeton, NJ? I'll pay for the trip, hotel, everything." Or rather the hospital will. Consultant, that's what she'd call it. That's what it was, really. "Just please, let me know soon." Damn! The line went dead.

She stared at the receiver for a moment. She was about to redial and finish her message, but House burst into her office.

"I've got a case." He announced excitedly.

"Good for you." She put the phone down and looked up at him, waiting for the punch line.

"You said if I found a case you would commute my clinic sentence." He looked back expectantly.

She had promised. "It's not a sentence House. It's a..."

"Duty. Same thing. So, I get out of it, right?"

"What's the case?" Cuddy wasn't about to let House slip out of clinic duty with another case of the measles.

"Frank Fratelli," House proudly said the patients name. He was trying to show a personal interest, make her think this was a really special case. "Suffering from inexplicable broken bones..."

"Brittle bone syndrome?" Cuddy held out her hand and House placed a file in it.

"Nope;" like he would bother with a case of brittle bone.

Cuddy flipped through the file silently as House looked down at her, or more precisely, down her blouse which was slightly open in just the right place.

"Fine, you are off clinic duty for a week." She handed the file back. She tried hard to mask her concern.

"A week? What if the case takes longer?"

"You've got three highly trained, highly bored doctors working for you. A week should be more than enough." She had a very bad feeling that she could give him a year and he still wouldn't find a medical reason for this Fratelli guy's problem.

"A week." House trudged out the door. He had been hoping for an 'until the case is solved', but it looks like that trick only worked once.

Cuddy picked up the phone again. She dialed Harry's number. She hung up. What was she supposed to say to him? Last time they'd talked she told him she never wanted to see him again. Now she had to beg for his help? Maybe she didn't need it. Maybe she was overreacting. A few nightmares and she starts seeing strange things everywhere.

Brenda probably just needed a vacation. Maybe Cuddy should take one herself. Fratelli probably did have some rare disease. House would be able to figure it out, with the right incentive. Everything was going to be fine. She'd just been spooked by a few bad dreams. That was all it was; really.

Why couldn't she get herself to believe that?

3


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO: THE CURIOUS CASE OF FRANK FRATELLI 

House gathered the troupes for debriefing. He gave them the low down on his newest Clinic dodge...uh, patient. Naturally he didn't know too much about the guy, so he just threw the file onto the desk and waited for one of the Ducklings to read it.

"Frank Fratelli, 45, presents with sudden pains throughout the body, broken limbs, and bloody nose." Cameron began reading off his symptoms.

"And no known cause for any of it," House explained. "So, how does a guy break his arm while watching television?"

"Brittle Bone Syndrome," Foreman replied, bored.

"Oh," House rolled his entire upper body, "why does everyone always jump to the obvious?"

"Sometimes a horse is just a horse House." Foreman reminded him.

"And sometimes it's a unicorn." House would love to find a unicorn, just once, just to see if they were real. He was a scientist. He needed proof of things like unicorns and fairies.

"What?" Cameron had missed what he was inferring?

"Maybe...oh, forget it. Run some tests, get some blood, do what you doctors do. I'm going to take a nap." House headed for his office.

"Unicorns?" Cameron queried as the trio of young doctors headed to room 517.

"He's House." Chase thought that was explanation enough.

"He's trying to make the case interesting. A simple case of Brittle Bone isn't worthy of his colossal ego." Foreman pushed open the door and stepped aside for Cameron to enter. Chase followed her, but got pushed aside by Foreman who strode in behind the young woman.

"Hi Frank," Cameron put on her talking to patients voice. "I'm Dr. Cameron. This is Dr. Foreman, and Dr. Chase."

"Three doctors. I didn't think I was that important." Frank Fratelli was a sturdy looking man. His temples here streaked with grey. The rest of his hair was a solid black. His rugged face was weather-worn, but happy. He did not seem like your typical frail Brittle Bone patient.

"All our patients are important Mr. Fratelli," Chase was trying to mimic Cameron's concerned doctor voice. He was fairly good with patients, but not as good as she was.

"I bet you say that to them all, too." Frank laughed. It was a hearty laugh, from deep down in his well fed belly. "Ouch!" His laugh was cut short by a sharp pain and he grabbed his chest quickly.

"Are you alright Frank?" Cameron was the first to react. She leaned in and checked the spot he was clutching.

"No, I'm fine. Old injury. Fell from some scaffolding a few months ago." Frank sounded embarrassed by the accident. He was a professional builder, had been for over 25 years. Professionals didn't fall off their scaffolding. Of course most of them didn't have sudden seizure like fits either.

"So, these 'fits' you have, when do they happen?" Foreman was all business. He was holding Frank's file, and as the man explained his accident, Foreman shuffled through the papers, noticing several other 'accidents' brought on by 'seizure like fits'.

"They happen all different times." Frank was tired of explaining this. Every time he ended up in the hospital, he suffered through a barrage of tests, not necessarily meant to find out what was really wrong with him, but meant to confirm what the doctor of the day assumes was wrong with him. "It's not epilepsy, or diabetes, or..."

"Yes, Mr. Fratelli, we know what it's not. We're here to figure out what it is." Foreman didn't need the play by play, he had every test and every guess made by every doctor Frank Fratelli had seen in the past year. "This all started...eight months ago?" Foreman flipped to the first incident.

"Yes, about eight months." Frank nodded.

"What were you doing when they started?" Cameron asked, anxious to participate.

"Nothing." Frank looked slightly sheepish.

"Frank, it will help us figure out what's going on with you if you tell us the truth." Cameron used a gentle tone, and placed her hand on his arm for effect. It worked.

Frank smiled up at the pretty girl. "I was taking a bath." He laughed at himself. "It soothes my aching muscles after a hard day on a job site."

"Was it a very hot bath?" Chase decided to stop leaning against the wall and join in.

"No hotter than normal." Frank had been through all this before.

"What about the second incident, the fractured rib?" Foreman went down the list.

"Walking through the park. I didn't trip, or get hit with a rouge baseball or attacked by a dog. I was just walking, down the paved path with my girlfriend." He'd pretty thoroughly covered that, so Foreman moved on to the next and next.

"Each case was totally different," Foreman informed House as the trio appeared in his office to tell him of their findings.

"No common link?" House milled that over in his head.

"Nothing. No person who was at each event, sometimes he was full, sometimes he was hungry, morning, noon, night, no patterns at all." Cameron spewed everything out before one of the boys could talk over her.

"Interesting." House got up.

"Are you going to talk to him?" Cameron asked eagerly. It was still early in her Fellowship, and she wanted desperately to sit in on a patient consult with House.

"Nope." House walked out into the hall.

"Where are you going?" Chase joined Cameron in following House.

"Lunch." House turned and looked at all three doctors now following in his wake like fuzzy little baby ducklings. "I don't eat with the staff." He turned and headed back down the hall leaving the three of them standing in the middle of the hall.

"What now?" Foreman, the newest kid on the block turned to the others.

"We wait for new orders," Chase said, shrugging. "Wanna get some lunch?" He was clearly talking to Cameron and not Foreman.

"I'm going to check on those tests." Cameron hurried off down the hall.

"She is so not into you," Foreman laughed and headed back into the office.

"Who said I was into her?" Chase followed.

"No one had to."

"So, what do you really think is wrong with this Fratelli guy?" Chase sat down and put his feet up on the table.

"Not sure. Could be neurological." Though Foreman couldn't think how.

"Could be lupis." Chase threw in, just to stay in the conversation.

"Lupus doesn't present like that."

"Either does brain damage." Chase countered.

"Guess we'll have to wait until after his highness has his lunch." Foreman opened up a newspaper and started reading.

House looked behind him. They were all gone. He turned down the hall and headed for room 517. He checked the hallway one last time before pushing open the door and walking in.

"Mr. Random Broken Bones," House greeted his patient.

"Fratelli." Frank narrowed his eyes as the tall, crumpled man with the cane. "And you would be?"

"I'm Dr. House."

"Just my luck," Frank closed his eyes and relaxed. It had been his experience that those who tried the hardest to look competent were usually hiding something. This guy was definitely not trying to look competent.

House pulled up a chair and sat down close to the patient's bed. Then he looked at the patient, and slid the chair back a few feet. "Just in case," he said cryptically as he sat down.

"Just in case of what?" Frank asked.

"I don't want to get hit." House pulled out his Gameboy and flipped it on.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to beat my high score. You?" House began pounding away on the control pad.

"Trying not to die. Thanks for asking." Frank closed his eyes.

House nodded approvingly. Then he waited. He sat there the rest of the afternoon. Nothing happened with Frank, though several nurses came in to check on him, bring him food, and check on him again.

Cameron came by, House wasn't surprised at all. "What are you doing here?" She asked when she saw her boss sitting by the bed, his legs propped up on another chair.

"Level eight." House raised the Gameboy in case she couldn't see it. "It's a tricky one."

"You came in here to play your game?" Cameron was trying not to be disgusted.

"It's the only place I can get any peace and quiet." House watched his game intently, moving his body this way and that as she fired his weapons on the enemy.

"What about the patient?" Cameron hesitated using his name. She knew House didn't like that.

"He doesn't make too much noise. We have an understanding. Right Frankie?" House winked at Frank who was sleeping soundly in the bed.

"That's not what I meant." Cameron leaned in and whispered. "It's insensitive, using his room to hide out in."

"I told you, we have an understanding." House ignored her scolding look. Then an idea hit him. "But, since you insist." He smiled broadly and got up. "I'm going home. You can take the first shift, then Chase, then Foreman. I'll let them know on the way out."

"First shift?" Cameron stared at him in confusion.

"He's on 24 hour watch, until he has one of his episodes. I need see it firsthand."

"And you want me to sit here and wait for it to happen then call you so you can rush back to the hospital?"

"Nope. I want you to see it firsthand for me, or Foreman or Chase, don't much care which one of you it is. But pay attention. I want to know everything when I come in tomorrow morning. Night." House turned and hurried out the door. He whistled his way down the hall, past the diagnostics office that housed Foreman and Chase and into his office.

He left for the night, without saying a word to his team. He wondered how long Cameron would sit there, waiting for Chase to relieve her.

5


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE: COMMUTED SENTENCE**

Murphy walked Harry to his holding cell. Before entering he handed her the handcuffs.

"Jesus Harry." She grabbed them out of his hand angrily. "One of these days you're going to show me how you do that."

"It's magic Murphy." Harry smiled.

"Right. Magic with a capitol M or small M?"

"Definitely capital." He stumbled into the cell with a little help from Murphy's not so gentle shove. "You do know I'll get out of here, right?"

"I am just doing my job." She was none committal. That was practically permission for him to use his magic to escape.

"I get one call, right?"

"I'm not sending you to the gallows Dresden."

"I want my one call." Harry protested.

"Fine, who do you want to call?" Murphy grabbed Harry's arm and led him down the hall. He marched silently behind her, all the way to her small cubicle office. He didn't answer until they were seated.

"Lisa Cuddy, Princeton, NJ." He owed her a call. Also, he didn't have anyone else to call, so what was the harm?

"What's her number?" Murphy eyed him suspiciously. She had a nagging feeling he was up to something.

"Don't know." He shrugged.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"You're the police, can't you figure it out?" Harry picked up a pencil and started tapping it until Murphy snatched it away.

"Who is this Lisa person? Long lost cousin?" She doubted that.

"Old friend." Harry waited patiently for Murphy to find the number.

Murphy dialed and listened for a ring before shoving the phone at Harry. "Here."

Harry listened to the soft ringing. He could feel his nerves getting the better of him. He had to get them under control or...the phone went dead. Wizards and technology, two things that did NOT get along. He pushed the redial button.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Murphy didn't trust him at all.

"It went dead. I had to redial." Harry explained casually.

"You get one call, Harry. It's over." She hit the release button and the phone went dead again.

"Why'd you do that? I didn't get my call, it didn't go through." Harry protested.

"I'm sorry Harry. It's late. You can try again in the morning."

"The morning! You're keeping me here all night?" That wasn't going to work.

"This isn't San Quentin, Harry. It's the drunk tank. You'll be fine."

"I'll be gone is what I'll be." Sometimes he really needed to keep his big mouth shut, but he never did.

"You will be spending the night in the tank. It's not the end of the world." She pulled him to his feet. He towered over her.

"You don't know that," he muttered.

"Get over yourself Harry, you're not Superman." Murphy dragged him down the hall and back to the cells. She locked him in and warned the guard to keep an eye on him. "Goodnight Harry."

"Yeah, Night Murphy," Harry grumbled.

Harry paced his cell. Every ten minutes the guard passed by, nodded at him then headed back to his desk. That didn't give Harry much time, but it did give him a plan.

Harry heard the cell block door open. He walked over to the bars of his cell and slid his hand slowly over the lock, muttering something under his breath, and smiling when he heard a faint click.

The guard made his round past Harry's cell. "You might as well get some sleep Dresden."

"Tell you what," Harry said with cocky confidence, "why don't you get some sleep in my place."

"Huh?" Was all the guard had time to mutter before Harry swung open his cell and clocked him on the back of the head.

"Sorry," Harry said as he dragged the guard into the cell. "You shouldn't have been so diligent in your duties." Harry took the nightstick from the guard's belt, removed the man's coat and hat and shrugged. He slowly began muttering in some ancient or made up language. Even he couldn't tell the difference sometimes.

"Achtul, takis malhoff, desidian trunketh parfat." He concentrated all his energy into the nonsense words. What he said wasn't as important as what he felt, and he felt like he wanted to get out of that police station, pronto.

Slowly, the guards bulky physique started to shrink down, his massive muscles slimmed to merely functional, his round head chiseled down to a more roguish oval. Harry watched as the guard slowly turned into him. He smiled with satisfaction at his work.

The glamour wouldn't last long, and if anyone looked too closely, they would know it wasn't him, but it would buy him a few extra minutes if someone decided to come check on him. He picked up the guards hat and coat, which he had removed before the transformation, and slipped them on. This disguise wouldn't fool anyone, but if he kept his head down and walked with authority, he'd manage.

The downtown Chicago precinct was pretty empty this time of night. Sure there were the usual drunken bums being given a free night's stay at Hotel Jail, and the odd prostitute arguing about the difference between hooker and escort with some young beat cop new to the game. The beauty of the night shift, at least for Harry, was that they were all too tired and too busy to notice a skinny guard in an oversized hat and coat slipping out the front door. Well, all but one of them that is.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Harry felt the gun pressing into his back. He knew she wouldn't shoot him, at least he thought she wouldn't, but he stopped and turned slowly, just in case.

"I'm on break. Thought I'd duck out for a smoke." Harry kept his head down.

"First, you don't smoke, and second, prisoners don't get breaks." Murphy pushed the hat off his head with the tip of the gun. "What'd you do to Torres?"

"He's napping." Harry said succinctly.

"Right." Murphy dragged him over to a desk and shoved him into one of the chairs facing it. "We need to have a little talk."

Harry wasn't surprised that Murphy hadn't gone home, she wasn't the type, and she had nothing to go home to. She had mentioned a daughter to him a few times, and he'd gotten the gossip from her partner Kurmani. The girl was living with her father. That must have been hard for Murphy, but she hid her pain in being the best damned cop on the force. She clearly had something to prove, and proved it each and every day.

"What?" Murphy felt Harry staring at her. It made her uneasy.

"Why don't you go home, get some rest. We can talk in the morning." Harry thought that sounded like a good plan.

"So you can escape again? No way." Murphy pulled something out of her pocket. It was a print out of an Illinois driver's license. "You know this guy?" She showed it to Harry.

"Can't say that I do." Harry studied the face carefully. Lying was a very effective skill in his line of work.

"Funny, because a witness put you at the scene of his murder too." Murphy was not pleased. She hated when Harry lied to her, and there was no doubt in her mind that he was doing so right now.

"Wow, I think this eye witness of yours is obsessed with me." Harry smiled and laughed, but it fell flat, so he stopped abruptly. "Look, Murph..."

"Don't look Murph me Harry Dresden. I want answers and I want them right now." She was getting her Irish up as they say. There wasn't much in Connie Murphy's appearance that would lead one to guess at her Irish heritage, but when she was angry, well, that Irish temper was unmistakable.

"I did not kill that girl. I swear on my father's grave I did not kill her." That was the truth. Harry didn't swear on his beloved father's grave for any old statement.

"How convenient of you to leave this guy out of that heartfelt statement." She did believe that he didn't kill Lashonda Parker, but she also believed that he very purposefully left out Matthew Smalls.

"Uh, yeah, well, he wasn't exactly like this at the time." Harry was stuck. His lying, though he did it often, wasn't all that good.

"Oh, I can't wait to hear the explanation for that." Murphy leaned back in her chair and waited for the story. Harry laid it out for her in vague detail, leaving out the bloodier parts. He knew she wouldn't believe him anyway.

"You just admitted to an officer of the law that you murdered a man in cold blood last night. And you expect me to what, exactly? Give you a medal?"

"That's not necessary. A simple thank you will do." He grinned. She was much too tense.

"I should lock you up and throw away the key!"

"He killed that girl, Murphy. I'm the only one who could stop him."

"Oh, yes, Harry Dresden, the great American Hero."

"Wizard, Murphy, Harry Dresden, Wizard." He corrected her for the millionth time.

"Right, Dresden, you're a wizard, and you got out of your cell with magic," she wiggled her fingers around when she said it, "and you slayed a dragon and..."

"I didn't say anything about a dragon!" Harry protested. "I killed a werewolf. Big difference. I never could have killed a dragon on my own. I don't think..."

"Harry!" She pulled his mind back into the police station. "Look, I believe that you killed this guy in self defense, but I need something better than he was a werewolf."

"I don't have anything better."

"Then I'm going to have to put you back in jail." She started to stand.

"You can't. It's scary in there." Harry tried to make a joke, but she wasn't laughing. "Murphy, locking me up isn't..."

Murphy's mobile rang. She held one hand to Harry and answered the phone. "Yeah," she listened intently to the voice on the other end. "No!" Harry studied her expression, she was shocked. "That's impossible." Now she was annoyed. "I'll be right there." She hung up the mobile with pent up anger. "You're in luck Dresden. We're going on a road trip."

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	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR: THE THINGS YOU CAN LIVE WITH**

Nurse Brenda Previn had prided herself on being strong, dependable, and highly capable. At the moment she was weak, frightened and a total wreck. Her one solace was her beloved pint of Hagan Daas. She looked into the container. It was almost empty. She began to cry uncontrollably, again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" A small, prematurely balding man cracked the bedroom door open, daring to peek his head in.

"Get out!" Brenda shouted and threw a pillow at the door.

Her husband retreated. He'd never seen Brenda like this. She was always the strong one, holding him up when things went wrong with his restaurant; supporting him while he went back to business school. And now, when she seemed to need him most…

He shook his head, and sat down, his back against the door. When she was ready to lean on him, he would be waiting.

Brenda took another spoonful of Praline Pecan and began to sob. Poor Douglas. He wanted so badly to help. She knew he was just outside the door. She could feel him there, smell him, she could hear his nervous breathing. She wished he'd just go away. This was not something she wanted him involved in.

She blew her nose in a tattered, overused tissue then tossed it to the floor. She saw her reflection in the mirror across the room. Doug had moved it there, so they could watch themselves sometimes; add some spice to their marriage. She smiled wanly as she thought of how happy she had been. The woman looking back at her was gaunt and pale, a shadow of the robust, hearty woman Brenda Cotugno Previn really was.

She caught the moon out of the corner of her eye, and she recoiled against the pillow. This couldn't really be happening to her…could it?

It was almost a month ago. She was walking home from work. She'd taken the late shift because that new nurse, Wendy something, had come down with the flu. Brenda loved subbing in the pediatrics department. She loved kids.

It was her one big regret, until now, never having kids of her own, but the time never seemed right. First she and Douglas were too young, too in love, they wanted to do things, see the world, have adventures, there would always be time for kids later. Then Douglas, the dreamer, wanted to open his restaurant, and finances were tight. It didn't seem like the right time to start a family. They would wait, until the restaurant was a success and Brenda could stay home and raise their little family.

They wanted three kids. Two boys and a girl. They'd even talked about names. Brenda had agreed to Doug Jr if she could name their second son Joe, after her dad. The girl would be Stephanie. They both hoped the girl would be the youngest, looked after by her older brothers.

Everything was going to be perfect, but when the restaurant failed; their dreams were once again put on hold while Douglas went through business school. He had just graduated, last month.

Brenda choked back the tears.

If only she had waited for the bus instead of walking home that night. If only she hadn't put her headphones on. If only...she had played that game over and over in her head for the past month. If only...There were just too many to count.

It had been a beautiful night. The air was crisp, perfect for a brisk walk through the park. The full moon glowed bright in the cloudless sky. She was practically walking on air. Douglas had just gotten his grades from business school. He was third in his class. She'd never been more proud of him.

She was carrying a bouquet of flowers she'd picked up for him at lunch time. She was lost in their fragrant aroma when it happened.

She should have run as soon as she felt the hand on her arm. Instead she thought she was being mugged and spun to attack her assailant. When she looked into those dead black eyes, when she saw those fangs, dripping with saliva, it was too late.

She remembered very little about that night. She remembered finding herself on the grass, the flowers still clutched in her hand, though the heads had all been smashed and torn. She must have tried to fend off her assailant with the bouquet. She remembered being home, but not really how she got there. She remembered Douglas taking her to the hospital, and remembered insisting he take her somewhere other than Princeton Plainsboro.

The wounds on her arms and neck eventually healed, and the nightmares eventually faded. She managed to convince herself that the fangs and black eyes and the hairy, monstrous body were all figments of her overactive nightmares. But the next full moon changed her mind drastically.

It was two nights ago. The memory haunted her every time she closed her eyes. She had told Douglas she needed to run to the store. He didn't ask why. Looking back, she wished he had.

She pulled the car into the store parking lot, into a dark corner far in the back. No one else was around. She tried very hard to walk toward the store, but her feet took her back into the bushes that separated the parking lot from the nearby park.

Her eyes saw a remarkable distance in nothing but the bright moonlight, and she could smell everything. The trees that were scattered about, the grass, mowed earlier that day, the sweat of people walking along the sidewalk on the other side of the bushes. She could smell their flesh and their sweat and their sweet blood pumping just below their tender flesh.

She shook the thoughts out of her head. What the hell was that? She needed milk. That's why she'd come out this late. She needed milk and ice cream. Douglas was going to make milk shakes for them then they would sit down and see what TiVo had in store for them. That was the plan for the evening.

Someone was approaching. She could hear their gentile heartbeat, the blood pumping through their ripe veins. They were getting closer. It was young, male, fresh. She sniffed the air. He was walking right toward her.

As soon as he was within inches of her hiding place, she pounced. She acted on pure instinct. All of her senses were heightened. The young man, no more than eighteen, didn't have time to react. Brenda grabbed him from behind and pulled him into the park. Her teeth clamped down around hit throat and tore wildly; cutting off any chance he had to scream.

In seconds the young man's limp body fell to the ground. Brenda stood over him and wiped her mouth with satisfaction. Not even his mother would have recognized the corpse she left behind.

Brenda stood there, horrified. Who could have done such a thing? How did she get here? She called out for help seconds before looking down at her blood stained hands. She had no memory of what had happened, but she felt the guilt, she felt different.

A shrill cry filled the air, and Brenda realized she was no longer alone. She took off into the bushes and vanished into the park. She found her car in the grocery store parking lot and wondered how it had gotten there. She found the keys in her pocket and drove off quickly, before anyone could see her.

"What happened to you?" Douglas looked at her in horror. She was covered in the young man's blood.

"I found a dead deer in the road. I moved it." She pushed past him and locked herself in the bathroom.

A long, hot shower could not wash away the thoughts in her head. She didn't want to remember what had happened, but she couldn't stop thinking about it.

The next day she went in and asked Dr. Cuddy for a few days off then she came home and locked herself in the bedroom.

"I'm going to fix some dinner." Douglas got up from his spot on the other side of the door and called out. "I'll call you when it's ready. She heard his footsteps retreat down the hallway. Poor Douglas, he didn't know the monster he was married to. He didn't know what might happen to him the next time the moon was full.

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	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD**

Harry walked into the morgue and held his hand over his face. It smelled of death. Of course the morgue always smelled of death, but this was different, stronger, more nauseating. It smelled fresh.

"Over here." Murphy waved him over, a surgical mask covering her mouth and nose. She handed one to Harry and waited as he quickly put it on.

"What the hell happened here?" Harry looked around and noticed that all the nice sterile body drawers were open. He could tell at once that this was where the strong odor of death and blood was coming from.

"You sure you're ready for this one?" She knew he'd seen things she couldn't imagine in her worst nightmares, but this stuff still weirded her out. "Three corpses have been viciously mutilated"

"What's this got to do with me?" Harry took a glance at one of the bodies, felt dinner working its way back up his throat and quickly looked away.

"This is Butters, he's the ME." Murphy nodded to a portly man who seemed totally unphased by the chaos surrounding him.

"Hey, careful with that," he called to a pair of uniformed cops where were inspecting some of his instruments. "You must be Dresden. I've heard about you." Butters snickered excitedly.

"What's this got to do with me?" Harry asked again, not having gotten an answer the first time.

"Well, for one thing, I found this," Butters handed Harry what looked like a page from the phone book. It had been folded up into a small square, but Butters had tried to flatten it out to read it.

Harry glanced over at Murphy as he looked down and saw his ad. Crap. This wasn't going to do much to help clear his name.

"Do you care to explain now?" Butters had obviously told Murphy on the phone about the ad because she was standing next to him with her arms crossed over her chest. Her foot was tapping wildly.

"Uh, how the hell should I know how this got here? Do you know how many phone books I'm listed in? In the greater Chicago area there must be thousands."

"Harry, two people are found murdered, a witness puts you at the scene of both crimes, then both bodies get torn to shreds and you're name shows up at the crime scene. It's not looking good Harry." She held some regret in her voice. That gave Harry little hope.

"I'm being set up." Harry looked around the room. No one seemed to believe him. "Come on Murphy, you know me better than this. I'd never be this sloppy." Oops, he should have said he would never murder anyone, but he wasn't a great liar.

Murphy thought about this. "True. You wouldn't. But who would want to set you up like this?"

Harry looked back toward the bodies. The thinner one must have been the singer, and next to her the accountant turned werewolf, but wait... "Who's the third guy?"

"What?" Murphy looked at the bodies.

"You said a witness placed me at the scene of two crimes, this one, and this one," he staked claim to his supposed victims. "So who's the big guy?"

Butters stepped in. "Names Vogler, Edward Vogler. Big wig billionaire business man. The murder is being kept quiet right now, Mayor's orders."

"Did you kill him too, Dresden?" Murphy turned to Harry, and he couldn't tell for a moment if she was serious. She was.

"No!" Harry protested loudly, calling the attention of everyone in the room. Half a dozen uniformed policemen stopped what they were doing and looked his way. "I didn't do it," Harry quietly confirmed.

"Then who did?" Murphy asked quietly to no one in particular.

"That's what I intend to find out." Harry looked at her, awaiting her approval, then started looking around. Murphy sent the Uniforms into the other room.

"So, you're a wizard, huh?" Butters was following Harry around, watching him work with great interest.

"Yeah, I'm a wizard," Harry replied impatiently.

"Like Harry Potter?" Butters laughed. "Hey, Harry, that's your name. Does the name Harry have some sort of magical meaning or something?"

"My father named me after Houdini." Harry really wished Butters had left with all the police.

"Cool." Butters backed off when Murphy pulled his arm.

Harry wasn't sure what to look for. The killer might have dropped his name by accident, but Harry had a sneaking suspicion that he was being set up. No killer is that clumsy, right? If they were, why couldn't they have dropped a photo ID along with the ad, or even a credit card, or one of those stick on badges that says "Hi, my name is..." with "I like to desecrate dead bodies" handwritten on the bottom. That would have been helpful.

Instead, Harry's ad was the only shred of evidence available to him. It was going to have to do. Luckily he had slipped it in his pocket when everyone was distracted with other things. He pulled it out and placed it on the autopsy table. He sprinkled a ring of salt around it. Salt was something every good wizard should have on him at all times. It served many good purposes, and went well on fries.

Butters watched intently, Murphy with great skepticism slathered across her face, as Harry began to chant some more of his made up words. This was a spell he did so often that he'd come up with a great chant to go with it. "Direct me to the owner, direct me to the owner, direct me to the owner."

"That's it?" Butters asked.

"Shhh." Murphy elbowed him in the ribs. She might not believe in this mumbo jumbo, but Harry usually got results, so she was just going to let him do his thing.

Harry glared in their direction for a second then continued. "Direct me to the owner, direct me to..." he stopped when the piece of creased paper began to glow. He shot Murphy a smug look, then picked up the paper and headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Murphy grabbed his arm.

"To find whoever did this." Harry gave her a heartfelt look.

"Okay, but I'm coming with you." She instinctively checked for her gun.

"I knew you would." There was something comforting about having Murphy at his side. Sure it meant he had to be extra careful to avoid getting her killed, but still, sometimes it was nice not to be fighting alone.

"Where are we going?"

"Don't know yet." Harry felt the scrap of phone book tugging him to the left. He turned left and headed down the hall.

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	7. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX: THE ALL NIGHTER**

Cameron looked at the sleeping form of Frank Fratelli. He hadn't had any visitors since being admitted yesterday. She pulled his chart from the foot of his bed. There was no one named as next of kin, no emergency contact name. Where most people put their spouse, or their parents or someone else who cared about them, Frank Fratelli had put the name of his company, Fratelli Construction, and an 800 number.

Frank stirred in his sleep. Cameron waited eagerly for him to wake, but he didn't. She pulled a magazine from the nightstand and started flipping though the pages. It was getting late. She wondered when Chase would arrive.

She felt herself dozing off, and switched on the television. She usually didn't watch TV, but she was desperate for something to keep her awake. There was an infomercial on, something about self empowerment through some natural mineral supplement.

A shrill cry broke into her dream and she jumped out of the chair. Frank was curling himself into a ball, screaming as quietly as he could.

"Frank!" Cameron rushed to his side. She put her hands on him, but he pushed her away violently. "Frank, I'm here to help you." She tried again.

"You..." a primal shriek disrupted his words, "can't..." He twisted in an unnatural way. Pain shooting though every part of his body.

Just as suddenly as the pain had started, it stopped. Frank fell back onto his pillow in relief. This one hadn't been very bad.

"What happened?" Cameron began examining him.

"IT happened," Frank replied in an annoyed voice.

"But...how?" She tried to remember what was happening right before Frank screamed. She'd been sliding House's lab coat off his shoulders seductively. She'd fallen asleep.

"Does it matter?" Frank showed all the signs of a man who had given up.

"Of course it matters. If we don't know how this is happening we can't figure out why and we can't stop it."

"You can't stop it." Many doctors had tried, none had succeeded.

Cameron's righteous indignation was showing. She was losing her patience. "Then why did you come to the hospital Mr. Fratelli, if you don't want us to help you? You're just wasting our time."

"I didn't come here Dr. Cameron," Frank was not daunted by the sudden change in his formerly sweet and caring doctor. "I was taken here in a stretcher. I didn't ask for a diagnosis, I asked for a fucking pain killer. I still haven't gotten it."

"House wants..."

"I don't give a rat's ass what House wants. I want a way to minimize the pain." Frank was surprised to find that rage was helping with that.

"House is your doctor. You're lucky to have him as your doctor. He's the best." She always beamed when she talked about House. She thanked god every night before she went to sleep that she had gotten a Fellowship with him. He was legendary. He was a hero. "He wants your body clean so we can run scans and find out what the cause of all this is."

"He's not going to find anything." Frank flipped on the television. Anything would be better than talking to her.

"He will. He always does." She held her head up proudly.

"Wanna bet?" Frank turned to look at her. He knew he would win. He had seen some of the top specialists in the world and not one of them had found anything that would cause what was happening to him.

"Fifty dollars says House diagnoses you by the end of the week." Her belief in her boss was unfaltering. She was still young and naive.

"Deal." Frank held out his hand for a shake. After nearly crushing her hand in his, he turned back to the television. "Now will you go away?"

"I can't. I'm waiting for Dr. Chase to come take over." She sat back down in the chair.

"Take over what...oh, crap, you're my babysitter?"

"I'm here to observe."

"You observed. It won't happen again tonight." Frank wasn't sure of that, but he just wanted her to go away at this point.

"Then it only happens once a day?" She scribbled something down in a notebook.

"Well, it's not scheduled. It just doesn't often happen more than once at a time."

"Often? But it has happened?"

Frank was caught. "Once, maybe twice. It's not going to happen again tonight." He hoped.

"I'm not leaving. House told me to..."

"You do everything that jerk tells you to do?" Frank eyed her. Was she a smitten kitten? Couldn't she do a little better than that old guy? From what Frank had heard House was an obnoxious asshole. Cameron was pretty, smart and seemed nice. She should be with some nice young man who treated her well and took her out to nice restaurants.

"He's my boss."

"Right." Frank believed that was the reason as much as he believed House would save him. In other words, not at all.

Cameron looked around the room uncomfortably. "I don't know what's taking Chase so long." She'd been with Frank for hours. Surely Chase should have come to relieve her by now.

"You sure he's coming?" Frank snided.

"Of course he is. House said..."

Frank interrupted her with a snorting laugh. "House said... oh, that's rich."

Cameron fumed internally. "Chase probably forgot. He's not terribly reliable about things like this." Cameron picked up the phone and dialed a number off a small card she had in her wallet.

"Yeah?" A fuzzy Australian accent answered.

"Where are you?"

"In bed." He tried to process who was calling through a haze of sleep. "Cameron, that you?"

"Yes it's me. Why aren't you here?"

"You want me with you? Now?" Chase looked at the clock. It was midnight. "I'll be right over, what's your address?"

"I'm at the hospital." She struggled to leave out 'you idiot'.

"What're you doing there?"

"Waiting for you to come relieve me like House said."

"House..." Chase had no idea what she was talking about now. "What'd House say I was relieving you of?"

"Just get down to the hospital. Frank Fratelli's room." Cameron hung up angrily. She refused to admit to herself that House had left her there all night. He wouldn't do that, not to her.

"House didn't tell him?" Frank suppressed a laugh.

"He just forgot." She didn't specify which he she meant. Frank knew it was House, but she tried to convince herself it was Chase.

Half an hour later Chase slugged into the room, coffee in hand. "What am I doing here?" He was still half asleep.

"Wait for Frank to have another attack." Cameron got up and started to put her coat on.

"You called me all the way down here in the middle of the night for that?"

"It's your job."

"No it's not. House didn't say anything about this to me." Chase turned and headed out the door. Cameron scurried after him.

"Yes he did. You forgot."

"I didn't forget. Believe me; I don't forget anything that man has to say." Chase was terrified and awed by House. He committed everything House said to him to memory, good and bad. "I'm going home."

Cameron grabbed his arm. "You can't leave me here all night."

"Can and will." Chase shrugged her off and walked back toward the front door.

"Wait!"

Chase stopped and turned to face her. "You gonna make it worth my wile?"

Cameron glared at him. "No."

"Then see you in the morning." Chase left.

Cameron spent the rest of the uneventful night dozing in a chair and thinking up ways to torture Chase.

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	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN: THINGS NO CIVILIAN SHOULD EVER SEE 

Murphy watched, perplexed, as Harry took a meandering path through downtown Chicago. Eventually his path became decisive. "The voices finally tell you where we're going?" She panted, exhausted from the two hour walk.

"They aren't voices, Murphy," Harry cried in exasperation. She'd been hounding him the whole time, asking him why he needed the dog and pony act and why he didn't just tell her where they were going.

"It's just too bad the voices didn't tell you to take the car," Murphy groaned. She was smart enough to not wear heels on the job, but she was wearing a nice pair of loafers, and they weren't made for hours of hard walking.

"You didn't have to come you know." Harry grumbled, stopping for a moment. He told himself it was so she could rest, but the moment they stopped his body thanked him.

"Where are the...where is your little thingy telling you to go now?" Murphy looked down at Harry's hand. She really hated her job sometimes. Why couldn't she work homicide, or vice, hell, even traffic would have been better than this. She straightened herself up. It was just the pain talking. "Let's get this over with."

"That house there." Harry pointed up toward a nice, high end number complete with picket fence and a great big oak tree in the front yard.

"Nice." Murphy admired it, wondering what it would be like to be raising her daughter in a house like that instead of the small fixer upper she was currently living in. She thought her ex must have a house like that. Anna did go on and on about her room and how her step-mom let her decorated it any way she wanted.

"Murph?" Harry waved his hand in front of Murphy's face. "You still with me?"

"Of course." Murphy pushed past him, and pushed away any thoughts about her daughter. This was not the time or the place for that. "Let's go."

"Right." Harry looked concerned. "Uh, shouldn't we have some kind of plan?"

"I have some kind of gun, and some kind of badge. That's my plan." She pushed him behind her. "Stay behind me and follow my lead."

"Uh, Murph...I don't think..." Harry didn't have a chance to voice his concern. Murphy was down the walkway and knocking on the door before he could get the words out.

No one answered so she knocked again. "This is Lt. Murphy, Chicago police. I need to ask you a few questions." She took out her badge and held it at the ready. These upper middle class types liked to see prove when you said you were a cop with questions. They were a suspicious lot.

Still no one opened the door. "Murphy, I don't think these are the kind of people who are going to open up and answer questions." Harry could feel the magic surrounding the house. This was not a good idea.

"Harry, back up." Murphy might have been small, but she packed a hell of a kick. The door flew open with the force of her years of kick boxing classes. "Looks like the doors open." She smiled sheepishly at Harry. "Let's go."

"Murph..." Harry grabbed her arm, but she was in the house before he got a strong enough grip to stop her. "Why do I even bother?" He followed her in, his hand firmly wrapped around his rod.

"Hello?" Murphy called into the room.

"Shhh." Harry shushed her frantically.

He let his senses travel through the house. Wizards had a way of listening to things that most people wouldn't normally here. It wasn't magic, just a talent for deep concentration.

"I don't..." he threw his hand over her mouth.

"Someone's here," he whispered to her.

Murphy cocked her gun.

"Not that kind of someone." Harry explained.

"What do you mean not that kind of someone?" Murphy was trying very hard to keep her voice down, but it wasn't easy.

"Let me take the lead this time, okay?" Harry pulled out his rod, a small, intricately carved bit of wood. It was his traveling rod, which he kept on him at all times. It wasn't as strong as he would have liked, but a grown man carrying around a big staff, or in Harry's case a hockey stick, wasn't always the best option for staying inconspicuous.

"Oh, sure, gotta protect the little woman." She started batting her eyes sarcastically. "Oh, Harry, you're my knight in..." she stopped short. A pair of eyes were glaring at her, and they weren't Harry's. Harry was too busy hanging upside down to glare at her.

"What the hell?" Murphy nearly dropped her gun, but she was a professional, and years of training had taught her to tighten her grip when in shock, not loosen it. She felt the reassuring metal in her hand.

"Hello Miss Murphy." A cold voice cooed from behind the violent red eyes.

"That's Lieutenant Murphy to you slime ball. Now let him down." She pointed her gun into the darkness that made up the man's face.

He simply laughed. "She's a feisty one."

"Should we kill her boss?" A sniveling little man came out from behind the other. He was small and hunched over and twitchy, like an overgrown rat.

"Harry?" Murphy looked up at Harry who was struggling to break free of whatever unseen force was hanging him in the air. "This would be a nice time for you to rescue me, since you're so into that sort of thing."

"I'll get right on that." Harry groaned as something hit him hard in the stomach.

"Our dear Mr. Dresden can't help you now my dear." A long, skeletal finger ran under Murphy's chin and she shivered as all the warmth she'd ever felt fled from her body.

Murphy pulled the trigger. It was instinct. She knew, deep down, that it would do no good, but she had to at least try.

The tall, skeletal man staggered back, and Harry fell to the floor, but before Harry could get to his feet, the man had regrouped, and sent Murphy flying across the room.

"Don't touch her!" Harry made it to his feet and was holding his rod out decisively. He concentrated all his energy, all his anger and all his fear into the rod, and a flash of fire shot out the end.

Murphy cried out. She'd never seen him do anything like that before. Suddenly she wondered if maybe he wasn't making it all up.

"Run Murphy!" Harry was struggling to hold onto the rod, which was still shooting out a steady stream of fire.

A high, shrill cackle filled the air. Harry knew he only had seconds to get out of this. As soon as he lowered his rod, they would both be after him. He glanced quickly over his shoulder and saw Murphy headed out the door.

One last bolt shot out of the rod and Harry turned and started running.

"Should we get him?" The twitchy, nervous voice asked.

"No. Let him go. He is of no importance to me right now." The total lack of any humanity in the voice sent a shiver down Harry's spine.

"What...the...hell...was...that?" Murphy was breathing hard. She had run until her legs threatened to give out under her. Her side ached, and her chest burned with each breath.

"I'm not sure." Harry knew he had to find out. Whatever that was, it meant business, and that business might not have included Harry at the moment, but it probably would eventually.

"Great." Murphy was too tired and scared to say anything more.

"But I might know someone who does." Harry suddenly brightened. He looked around them. They were in a public park, hidden in a clump of bushes. "Call for pizza."

"What?" Murphy stared at him in dumbfounded amazement. "How can you even think of..."

"It's not for me. Call for delivery here."

"And where exactly is here?" Murphy didn't reach for her cell phone.

Harry got up and looked for a street sign. "Corner of Maple and Chestnut. Order a small pepperoni pizza." She wasn't moving. "NOW!"

"Harry..."

"Please. It's important."

Murphy made the call and informed him they had a twenty minute wait. "Do you really think we should stick around here? What if they..."

"They're not coming after us." He knew this. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew. They were safe, for now."

"Fine." Murphy adjusted herself into a more comfortable position and waited for the pizza. "I'm a little hungry anyway."

"It's not for you either."

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	9. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT: THE END OF OUR FRIEND FRANK**

Frank opened his eyes slowly and groaned.

"What's wrong?" Cameron jumped from her chair. Finally something was happening.

"You're still here," Frank stated matter of factly.

"Of course. We've got to figure out..."

"I know why you're still here, it's just, you asked why I groaned."

"I...oh." She finally got it, and her heart sunk. The poor man was worse off than she'd thought. "Do you want some water?" She started to pour a cup of water for him.

"I want to be alone." She was probably too young to remember Greta Garbo, so he skipped the accent.

"I'm sorry..."

Suddenly, Frank let out a shriek and grabbed at his leg. This time the pain didn't stop.

"I thought you said it wouldn't happen again tonight?" Cameron's voice was an odd combination of concern and bitchyness.

Frank's answer was a scream.

Cameron called for help then tried to hold him down to minimize the damage. "What's going on?" She really wanted to do the right thing and get House the answer he was looking for.

"My leg!" Was all Frank could manage. The pain was far worse than he could handle.

Cameron cringed as a loud cracking sound filled the room.

Frank cried out.

Nurse Donna rushed in. "What's going on?" She looked at Cameron questioningly. The girl was a mess, her hair hanging down in her worried face. "Here, let me." Donna pushed the younger woman out of the way and took over, checking Frank for any signs of what could be causing his pain.

Another nurse rushed in with painkillers. Frank calmed considerably after the shot was administered, so Cameron pulled her chair over and started asking him questions. "What were you thinking right before this happened?"

"You think I imagined it?"

"It's broken," Donna said accusingly. She understood where Cameron was going with her question, but people couldn't imagine themselves a broken leg, and why the hell would they. "He's going to need x-rays, and a cast."

"Get him prepped." Cameron ordered, then picked up the phone and called House.

"Someone better be dead," House moaned as he rolled over in bed.

"It's Frank Fratelli. His leg is broken."

"Then why aren't you x-raying it?" House looked at the clock. It was already four in the morning.

"Nurse..."

"I don't want a nurse to do it. I want you to do it. Nurse's always miss things." House hung up the phone.

Cameron glared at it then went down to x-ray. "What the..."

Nurse Donna was struggling along with one of the orderlies to try and keep Frank from rolling off the gurney. Frank was crying out bloody murder.

"What's happening?" Cameron rushed over and tried to help, all 105 pounds of her pushed on top of Frank to keep him from flailing. "What's wrong?"

"He flew off the gurney. We just got him back up, but he's not staying still." Donna informed her.

"Nurse gave him a sedative, but it's not working," the orderly, who had a bit of a crush on Dr. Cameron straightened up for a moment, and the top half of Frank's body struggled to shoot to the ceiling.

"You don't think he's possessed do you?" Nurse Donna had a tendency to let her imagination run wild. Plus, she'd just watched the fully remastered special edition DVD of The Exorcist, complete with previously unreleased scene's and had demon possession on the brain.

"No. There's no such thing as being possessed." Cameron pulled out her cell phone and called House again.

"You're not supposed to have that in here," Nurse Donna protested.

"Shut up!" Cameron snapped. Then to the phone she ordered, "Listen to this and tell me how an x-ray is going to help." She held the phone out and let House hear Frank's screams. When she put the phone back to her ear, the line was dead.

The phone wasn't the only thing that was dead. Frank's body seized up one last time then fell limp on the table with a barrage of cracks. It sounded like fireworks going off. "What happened?" Cameron was white as a ghost.

Donna put her hand to his wrist, then to this throat. She put her cheek to his mouth, just to be absolutely certain. "He's dead. You're going to have to call it."

Cameron had never called a death before. She felt the tears building up behind her green eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I am a certified nurse, DOCTOR, but if you'd like to check for yourself, go right ahead." Donna stepped aside.

"No. I'm sorry." Cameron fought back her emotions. Frank was better off this way. There was no way to make the attacks stop if they couldn't even figure out why they were happening. There was nothing they could really do for him. He was better off. She sniffled and looked up into her eyelids as far as she could. When the threat of tears subsided, she called time of death. "Time of death 3:45 AM." She turned and left the room.

Hundreds of miles away a pair of red eyes glowed with satisfaction. A long, skeletal arm dropped to the side of a black clad body, and a small cloth doll fell to the floor. It was torn to pieces and wore a tiny little shirt that said FRANK in big bold letters. The fine string of hair that had bound it to the man of the same name slowly unwound. Frank Fratelli was finally free.

"Damn doctors," Donna swore under her breath, "can't be bothered to do any of the real work." She pulled the sheet over Franks face. "Guess we'd better get him down to the morgue. Dr. Grumpy is definitely going to want an autopsy on this one."

Dr. Grumpy arrived at the hospital a half an hour later. Drs. Foreman and Chase in his wake. "Why do we have to be here?" Foreman bitched.

"Because, this guy just had an attack and..." Cameron interrupted him.

"Frank Fratelli passed away." Her eyes were red and watery.

"Oh." Chase shrugged and turned to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" House stuck his cane across the doorway so no one could leave.

"He's dead. It doesn't really matter what was wrong with him anymore, does it?" Chase was tried and just wanted to go back to bed.

"Of course it matters," House protested. "Don't you think his family will want to know what happened?"

"He doesn't have any," Cameron stated sadly.

"His friends?" House asked hopefully.

"Not that he ever mentioned." Cameron felt the tears coming back.

"Well, Cuddy will want to know that her hospital isn't liable for his death." House smiled triumphantly. "To the morgue!" He hurried out the door. As he knew they would, the Ducklings shuffled after him.

4


	10. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE: PIZZA LOVERS MAKE GOOD INFORMANTS**

Harry paid for the pizza, and tried to avoid the delivery boys questioning look. Who the hell was he to judge where and when people ate their pizza? If Harry felt like having a nice pepperoni pizza in the middle of a deserted park in the middle of the night, so be it. It's not like he wasn't paying for it. He made a mental note to pay back Murphy as soon as he could.

"Now will you tell me what this is for?" Murphy folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.

"Toots," Harry said matter of factly.

"Um, is that supposed to mean something to me?"

"No, not really, but you asked." Harry began wafting the pizza into the air. Then he smiled that boyish smile Murphy knew meant no good. "Here he comes now."

"Great. Can't wait."

Suddenly there was a tiny little "poof" and a burst of colorful dust burst out like a miniature firework. When the dust cleared, a little man, no more than three inches high floated in the air, his iridescent wings flapping as fast as a hummingbird.

"What the…" was all she could manage to get out as she leaned in to get a closer look.

"Hi there, hot stuff." Toots whistled at her then gave a little wink of his emerald green eye.

Murphy stumbled back. "Harry, if this is one of your tricks..."

"It's not one of my tricks Murphy, it's a fairy."

"It's a he who doesn't like being referred to as an it thank you very much," Toots said indignantly.

"Yes Toots, I'm sorry. She doesn't believe in magic so be patient, 'kay?"

"So," Toots began speaking very slowly. "What...can...I...do...for...you...pretty...lady?"

Harry caught Murphy reaching for her gun out of the corner of his eye. He spoke quickly and gave her a warning look. "There's something bad in town, REAL bad."

"I know. It's been all the talk among us FAIRIES." He spat the word in Murphy's direction.

"I need to know who it is." Harry tried to wait patiently.

"No one can say." Toots said none commitally.

"Because no one knows, or no one will tell?" Harry felt like he was being had.

"No one will tell." Toots hated being outsmarted. Harry was one of the few who knew a fairy couldn't lie if asked a direct question, and he had been manipulating that fact for years.

"I need you to tell me."

"Nope." Toots turned his back to Harry.

"Why the hell not?" Harry wasn't known for his patience.

"Great harm comes to those to speak his name." Toots said mysteriously.

"Then don't say it, write it down, act it out in a rousing game of charades. Find some way to let me know who the fuck I'm dealing with!" Harry's anger was rising.

"Do you have any other questions?" Toots wasn't scared of the big bad wizard. Most fairies could kick any wizard's ass in a real magic duel.

"How can I stop him?"

"You can't." Toots spun back around, a cloud of fairy dust following him. "Don't even think about it Harry Dresden."

Both men turned as Murphy let out a little snort of laughter.

"This is no time for jokes Murphy." Harry snarled.

"Sorry, Dobby here is just too much."

"Dobby?" Toots turned around looking for this Dobby creature.

"Ignore her. All she knows about magic is in Harry Potter." Murphy snickered again.

"Hmph." Toots shot her a snooty glance then turned his attention back to Harry. "May I have my pizza now? It's getting cold."

"You're not going to help me, are you Toots?" Harry's hand was balled into a fist. He would LOVE to give Toots his pizza, face first.

"I will tell you this much Harry. Everything that has happened in Chicago is a trick, a diversion, a..."

"Slight of hand," Harry filled in. He remembered all his magician father had taught him about the trade, about forcing the eye to look one way while the real action was taking place elsewhere. "Then where should I be looking?"

"I hear New Jersey's nice this time of year." Toots was with a pepperoni that was twice the size of him. His little wings flapped frantically as he tried to pry it off the pizza.

"New Jersey." Harry shook his head.

Lisa. It was no coincidence that she called him when she did. Whatever was happening, she was in danger.

"We can leave in the morning." Murphy was ready to go.

"Whoa! Slow down there Murphy." Harry grabbed her arm. "Who invited you?"

"I'm going with you Harry." 

"Jersey's a bit out of your jurisdiction."

"I'm not coming as a cop," she paused thoughtfully. "I'm coming as your friend."

Harry smiled. "Have you ever been to Jersey?" He got up then held his hand out for her. She didn't take it.

"Nope."

They headed off toward the street, leaving Toots to devour his pizza."

Fools," Toots said between bites.

"Yes indeed," said a soft, hissing voice through the bushes. Toots couldn't hear it over his own excited chomping or he might have rushed off to warn his friend.

4


	11. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN: A BOB IN ANY OTHER SKULL IS STILL AS TESTY**

Edward Vogler marched into Cuddy's office. "Have you made a decision?" He sat down in her chair before she could get to it.

"The answer is no." She put a book back into the bookcase and walked over to her desk. She refused to sit in a guest chair in her own office, so she stood over Vogler.

"That's the wrong answer Dr. Cuddy."

"I don't think it is."

"Really? Or did Dr. House convince you it was?"

"This has nothing to do with Dr. House." She felt her cheeks flushing with anger.

Vogler just leaned back in her chair and smiled at her. "Oh, but he has everything to do with this."

Cuddy stared at him, speechless.

"All you have to do is get rid of one doctor and you will get more money than this hospital has ever seen. And you won't do it." Vogler picked up an old skull that was laying under a magazine on Cuddy's desk.

Cuddy's face turned pale and she grabbed the skull out of his hands. "That would set the kind of precedent that I do not want to set. Every doctor in this hospital would start to wonder how much I would be willing to sell them for. I don't want to create that kind of environment here at Princeton Plainsboro." She put the skull down on the seat of one of her two guest chairs very carefully. Vogler watched curiously.

"Well, your only other option is to set the kind of precedent where the Dean of Medicine gets overthrown by her own Board for being too love struck to think of what's best for the hospital." Vogler finally got out of her seat, but she didn't move. "Suit yourself Miss Cuddy. I'm sure there are plenty of other hospitals willing to hire a doctor who makes such foolish choices." He walked out.

Cuddy banged her fist against the desk. "Damn!" She rubbed the bottom of her hand. That hurt. She heard a sound behind her, like a very soft wind chime. A deep voice with the hint of posh English accent spoke, "he's not a very nice man."

"No, he isn't." Cuddy was unfazed by the sudden arrival of an impeccably dressed man with silvery white hair. She smiled at him warmly. "Hi Bob."

"Hello Milady." Bob bowed down to her. "I hope you're glad to see me."

"Always." She moved toward him for a hug but stopped herself. "I've missed you."

"And I you." He smiled. He longed to feel her in his arms, but then, he longed to feel a great many things that he couldn't have.

"Where's Harry?" She looked around the office half expecting him to materialize out of the air.

"He sent me ahead, to keep an eye on you." Bob smiled broadly. It was the first time in years that he'd been this far away from Harry, and he liked it.

"I don't need a watchdog. I need a wizard."

"Perhaps you could tell this old wizard what's going on. I can't help, but I might have some advice to give."

Cuddy smiled at her old friend. "Of course Bob. Sit dow...sorry."

Bob looked at the couch. It looked so inviting. "I'll stand, thank you."

"How is Harry?" Cuddy hadn't spoken to him in years.

"The same. Too busy saving the world to take care of himself."

"No wife, no girlfriend?"

"Nope." Bob smiled knowingly. "He's had plenty of, um, company, but his last serious girlfriend turned into a vampire."

"That figures." Cuddy rolled her eyes.

"Well, not completely. She's kind of in vampire limbo."

Cuddy nodded her head.

"But let's not talk about him when we could be talking about me." Bob grinned.

"And how are you Bob?"

"Still dead. Still tied to my skull." He looked over at the old worn skull she had so carefully placed on one of the chairs.

"Sounds fun." 

"Oh, it really is." Bob enthused sarcastically. "Can't tell you how great it is always having to do what Harry tells me. I used to be one of the greatest sorcerers of my time."

"Of any time really," Cuddy padded his ego.

"Yes, of ALL time. And now I'm an errand boy to a rebel who thinks he has a cause."

"It could be worse."

"It could be better."

Cuddy smiled broadly. "I can't wait for you to meet House."

"Don't you think you're moving a bit fast? We've only just been reacquainted."

"House is one of my doctors." Cuddy frowned at the ancient ghost.

"Umhmmm." Bob looked at her insightfully.

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "Maybe we could talk about what's going on."

"These are very strange times," Bob mused.

"There has been an abundance of supernatural activity lately."

"Chicago too."

"Really?" Cuddy was somehow surprised by this. She hadn't given much thought to the rest of the world.

"Yes. And Harry's been testier than ever. He hasn't been laid in a while. I think it's having a negative effect on..."

"Bob! Focus."

"Oh, yes, right. Supernatural activity."

"We've had several gruesome murders that coincided with the full moon. One of House's patients just had every bone in his body crushed without any external force..."

"Thaumaturgy." Cuddy frowned, trying to remember what that was. Bob cleared it up for her. "Voodoo."

"You think?" She didn't like the way this conversation was going.

"Definitely." Bob never doubted himself.

"Tell me this isn't happening. Tell me I'm dreaming."

"Dreaming about me, how sweet."

"Bob."

"You are not dreaming. This is happening, and you are going to have to get back in the game my dear girl."

"That's why he sent you." Cuddy sighed heavily.

"That is why he sent me." Bob wanted desperately to take her hand but he couldn't so his own hung in the air a moment before he lowered it back to his side. "There is something bad out there Lisa. Something very bad and very dangerous."

"Be more mysterious Bob."

"Sorry." Bob blushed slightly. "A pair of demons of Hellanto have escaped through…"

"The hellmouth?"

"Well, yes, if that's what you want to call it. I prefer…"

"Can we just skip the semantics Bob?"

"As you wish. These demons are hell bent on causing some major trouble."

"Can't someone else handle it?"

"You are the Chosen. It's your duty to stop them."

Cuddy dropped her head in her hands. She had wanted to leave all of this dead and buried where it belonged. She'd already closed the hellmouth once. She had been promised that it wouldn't happen again.

"I'm not exactly young."

"But you're still lovely as ever…"

"Can it Bob." Cuddy sighed. "Look, can I trust you here alone for a while? I have to go take care of a few things." She wanted to forget all of this and get back to running her hospital. That she could handle.

"You know I can't touch anything." Bob swished a hand through her desk lamp as proof. A small vapor trail lingered for a moment as his hand passed through the hard metal base.

"Yes, but that has never stopped you from getting into trouble."

"I will be on my best behaviour. You have my word." He bowed regally before her.

"Your best behaviour is hardly good enough Bob." She smiled at him. Mixed feelings rushed through her.

"But my word should be," he was a man of his word, most of the time.

"I guess I will have to settle for it. If you miss behave, I'm locking you in your skull until Harry gets here."

"Consider me warned." He smiled fondly at her. If he'd ever had a daughter, he would have wanted her to be just like Lisa Cuddy.

5


	12. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE UNENDING SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH**

PPTH was mostly deserted. Cameron was hard at work finishing up the paperwork on the Fratelli case. In the next office House was staring at a group of x-rays. Dr. Cuddy walked into his office without knocking.

"Go home House." She looked worried, and older than she'd ever looked before.

"You first." House hid his concern in humor.

"Are those the Fratelli x-rays?" She walked over to him and looked over his shoulder at the series of photos hanging in front of the light board.

"Yep." House stared at them too, though he had to struggle not to turn and look at her.

"Let it go House. He's dead. There's nothing you can do for him now."

"You don't get it." House shook his head. "I need to know what happened to him."

"Why?" It took all her effort to get out that one small word.

"Why the hell do we do what we do?" House was getting aggravated. He'd been staring at the x-rays all day, and still had no answer.

"We save lives House." They'd had this argument before, but both were too tired to stop.

"YOU save lives. I look for answers. Everything has an answer Cuddy."

"Maybe you're wrong." She fell silent. She knew the answer, she just couldn't tell him. She couldn't bring herself to admit it to another living soul.

"I'm never wrong." House was wrong about that, but she didn't bother to correct him.

"Good luck." She turned to leave.

House watched her for a moment. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me." His words cut through her. She hated lying to him, and was never any good at it.

"I'm not." She quickly took a mental inventory. "I've been dealing with Vogler." 

"Just tell him to take his money and shove it up his ass."

"That's easy for you to say, but without money from people like him you wouldn't have your own personal light boxes to stare at and obsess over all night."

"I don't need Vogler's money."

"You're not the whole hospital House. You might not need the money, but that kind of money could save a lot of lives."

"Not worth it." House searched her face to see if she thought it was.

"Maybe it is." She had forgotten all about Vogler. She wasn't sure if she was happy for the diversion or if it just added to all the things that were going to keep her up tonight.

She left before he could say anything more. Arguing with House, though fun, wasn't going to get her anywhere.

The streets were empty at this hour, so her midnight blue M3 sped down the road unhindered.

"Don't you think you should slow down?" Bob's slow voice filled the car.

Cuddy looked down at the open bag in the passenger seat. Bob's skull was sitting on top of her gym clothes. His eyes glowed a brilliant amber. "No."

"Fair enough." Bob slowly formed beside her in the car. She was surprised to see him sitting.

"I didn't know you could do that."

"It's all an illusion." He slowly sunk into the seat and appeared in the backseat.

"Cute trick." She sounded tired so he materialized back in the passenger seat.

"I know I've laid a lot on you, but I know you can handle it. Not like that slacker Dresden. Can you imagine if the world were put in his hands? We'd all be dead."

Cuddy laughed sadly. "He's not that bad. He just, he has a unique style."

"You seem to like men with a unique style."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She swerved as her head snapped over to look at him.

"Eyes on the road." Bob pointed in front of them. "It means that Dr. House seems quite, um, unique himself."

"He's a brilliant diagnostician, but yes, he's a bit...unique."

"Are you shagging him?"

"Excuse me!" The car swerved again, and sped through a stop sign.

"Those things aren't just a suggestion you know." Bob craned his neck around to look at the now distant hexagonal sign.

"Get back in your skull Bob. I can't drive and talk to you at the same time."

Bob huffed, but did as he as told. He had no choice.

The rest of the ride home was uneventful, but as soon as she got home, Bob came out of his skull.

"Is it safe?" He looked around nervously.

"Yes Bob, you can come out now."

"Thank you Milady." He bowed subserviently, and very sarcastically. Cuddy threw her keys at him in frustration but they flew straight through his body. "Missed."

She headed to the kitchen to fix a late snack. Unfortunately, Bob followed her. "So, should we start your training tonight or..."

"No!" Cuddy chopped a carrot a bit more aggressively than necessary.

"Tomorrow then."

"Never." She felt the relief of another forceful cut.

"Well, that's not going to do at all." Bob stood watching her, one hand to his face, pondering what to do next.

"I can't handle this Bob. I'm sorry." She stopped cutting and fell into a chair, her arms collapsed onto the table, her head fell into her hands.

"I know." Bob stood close to her, his hand hovered inches from her head. He felt the intense pain of yearning that had been his punishment for over five hundred years. "But Harry can't do this alone, and I can't help."

"I know." She resigned herself to the fact that she was going to do whatever she had to, she just wasn't ready to admit it yet. "I'm going to bed." She got up and headed for her room, leaving the half made salad on the counter. Bob followed her. "You're not coming."

"That is one thing you can't control," Bob said lasciviously. With a devilish little smile he vanished into his skull for the night.

A tear rolled over down to Cuddy's smile as she walked wearily to her room and collapsed on her bed.

4


	13. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE: THE TIME HAS COME**

A knock on the door roused Lisa Cuddy from a deep sleep. What could House possibly want at this hour? She picked up her robe but realized she was still dressed, so she tossed it on her bed. She really should just tell him to go away and stop encouraging these late night visits. Maybe then he would stop showing up at all hours of the night.

She sighed and put her hand on the doorknob. It was worth a shot. "Go away House," she called through the door. There was no answer. Everything she'd ever been taught had told her not to open the door in the middle of the night without finding out who was on the other side, but she opened it anyway.

Vogler stood staring down at her. She hadn't realized what a huge man he was until he stood there, framed by her doorway looking particularly menacing.

"What do you want?" She instantly regretted assuming it was House.

"We need to talk Dr. Cuddy." His words were cool and calm. He had no doubt she would let him in.

"I have nothing more to say to you Mr. Vogler." She tried to shut the door but his hand shot up instinctively and held it in place.

"I said we need to talk." Vogler's voice became threatening.

"You can stop by my..."

"NOW!" Vogler's voice bellowed through the doorway and sent a chill of fear running down Cuddy's spine.

In a sudden motion, Vogler tore open the door and stomped inside.

"What do you want?" Cuddy looked around her quickly for a weapon. She found a cane leaning against the wall by the door. House must have left it there, though she couldn't for the life of her remember when. She grabbed the cane firmly and waited for Vogler's next move.

"There is no need for that doctor." Vogler laughed amicably. "I'm only here to talk." He held out his hands in surrender.

"Then talk." Cuddy had a feeling, the kind of feeling she used to have years ago. He wasn't there to talk.

"Why won't you fire Dr. House? He's holding you back."

"Holding me back? I run one of the most prestigious teaching hospitals in the country. I'm not sure how far back he can possibly be holding me." She tightened her grip on the cane, feeling reassured by its presence.

Vogler laughed again. "You really don't understand, do you?" She noticed a small shift in his posture. His stance became more aggressive, more hostile. "Dr. House is a marked man. If you stay by his side, you will die." With that Vogler pounced. Cuddy didn't think it was possible for a man that big to pounce so gracefully, but before she had time to work out the dynamics of it, she felt his massive hands closing in around her neck. "I really do wish it didn't have to be this way," he said as he began choking the life out of her.

Cuddy only allowed a few seconds of panic before she regained control of her sense. She had to or she'd be dead. She swung the cane hard toward his head, and the service end collided forcefully against his ear. She thought the room trembled as he let out a colossal roar of pain. It was enough for her to break free of his grasp.

She backed up carefully, looking around for anything she could use in defense. Vogler only took a moment to recover before he was stalking toward her again. "It's no use Dr. Cuddy. I gave you every opportunity to avoid this." He smiled, clearly enjoying it more than his words would admit.

"Why is House marked?" Cuddy wanted answers. If she got out of this alive, she wanted something for the effort.

He laughed heartily, throwing his head back. "Do you really think you're in a position to ask me questions?" She was starting to really hate that laugh. With great force, she jammed the cane into his enormous gut. It knocked the wind out of him enough for her to grab a nearby lamp and smash it over his head.

"Why is House marked?" She demanded more forcefully. She had forgotten the rush of adrenalin she got from battle. She'd forgotten how much she liked it, but it was all coming back to her now.

"What does it matter? You will be dead before you can warn him." Vogler swatted one large arm out at her, sending her falling to the floor.

Cuddy cried out. She scrambled to her feet as Vogler stormed toward her like a steam train. "I won't give you the satisfaction." She spun out of the way just as he was about to smash into her. He lost his balance and stumbled into the wall. She cringed at the damage.

"You have to remove his head," came a calm British accent from the other room as Bob materialized through the wall.

"Great. Maybe he'll be kind enough to go stick his head in a guillotine if I ask really nicely."

"Look out!" Bob stepped to his left so Cuddy did the same. Vogler's body went steaming past her. She had fast reflexes and stuck out her leg, causing the huge man to trip and crash head first through Bob.

"Oh thanks. I'm never going to get the stench of THAT out of this suit." Bob brushed essence of Vogler off his impeccable black velvet jacket.

"What is he?" Cuddy had figured out that Vogler wasn't, at least not at the moment, a mere mortal. She didn't care how big he was; no man had that kind of strength.

"Ogre."

Cuddy was busy laughing at Bob's answer, so Vogler torpedoed head first into her gut, sending her half way across the room.

"Didn't your mother tell you to never hit a lady?" Bob watched as Vogler's attention turned to him. Ogre's were not known for their intelligence. Vogler plodded over to the ghost, ready to do battle. Bob stood still, waiting.

Cuddy ran into the kitchen. It's the only room that would have anything even slightly resembling a weapon. What she found was a draw full of kitchen knives, none of them long enough to lop off a ogres head. She heard Vogler scream from the other room, followed promptly by Bob's high laughter.

She took the largest knife she had and headed back to battle. Vogler was hurling her sofa at Bob. It passed through him and smashed her curio cabinet. Her parents wedding china went smashing to the floor. Now she was pissed.

She held the knife in the kill position then charged. A primal scream issued forth from her mouth as she pulled all her focus and strength into the knife. She knew she couldn't kill him with one blow, but as she made contact, she slashed the knife deep across his throat. She heard his gurgled yell as he fell to the ground.

Without a moment's hesitation she plunged the knife deep into his heart.

"He hasn't got one of those. Go for the throat. You've got to get his head off." Bob instructed her from the sidelines.

"With this?" Cuddy held up the large but inadequate knife.

"Haven't you got anything else?" Bob looked around, not that it helped.

Cuddy took a mental inventory of her house. "There's an axe in the garage."

"Oh, that would work." Bob glowed excitedly.

Vogler was beginning to stir. The deep cuts to this throat hadn't been enough to stop him completely. Cuddy looked down at Vogler with concern.

"Trust me, he'll follow you."

Cuddy had never been given any reason not to trust her old mentor so she got up and hurried through the kitchen and into the garage. By the time she found the axe, Vogler had found her. As she turned around he swatted her across the room. The axe fell to the ground.

Now she was really pissed. She got up off the floor, her body aching in places she didn't know existed and headed for the axe. Vogler cut off her path.

"You bastard!" She swung her body around quickly and thrust her foot at his knees causing him to crash to the ground. Then she shoved her foot against his throat and reached for the axe.

He wasn't ready to go down easily. He grabbed her foot with both hand and shoved her into the air. She crashed to the concrete floor and had the wind knocked out of her.

"Look out!" Bob warned, watching helplessly from the doorway.

Cuddy managed to roll out of the way just as Vogler's foot was about to stomp down on her head. She stayed low and scurried over to the axe. Vogler looked confused for a moment as he followed her crawling form. When he realized what she was up to he came charging.

She waited. She held the axe firm and waited for him to do the dirty work. Vogler's force along with her swing lodged the axe deep into his chest. "Damn!" Cuddy cursed as she tried to pull it out of him.

"You missed," Bob informed uselessly.

"Thanks Bob." Vogler pulled the axe out of his chest. Cuddy ran for cover as the ogre threw the axe at her head. It lodged in the wall inches from her left ear.

She pulled at it, trying to get it out of the wall but it was stuck in pretty good.

"Watch out!" Bob was suddenly beside her, yelling in her ear.

She turned to see Vogler's fist headed straight for her face. She dodged it just in time and a huge, knuckle shaped dent was left in the wall.

She didn't have time to pull the axe out of the wall. She looked at the floor and saw Vogler's blood trailing this way and that. She laughed at the absurdity of it all. Then she saw the chainsaw Alfredo used to cut down that tree last summer. Now if only Vogler would wait while she untangled the cord.

Vogler didn't wait, however, and had managed to dislodge the axe from the wall. It was now flying past her head.

"The axe, the axe!" Bob was jumping up and down like an excited teenager.

"This is better." Cuddy managed to untangle most of the cord and now needed to plug it in.

"You don't have time."

Vogler was charging toward her once again. "Not again!" Cuddy picked up the chain saw and wielded it toward Vogler's head. It caught him in the throat, and much to everyone's surprise, chopped the already half torn neck in half.

The massive body of Edward Vogler collapsed to the floor like a building being demolished. The whole house shook under it's force.

Cuddy fell to the floor and began to cry. Every bone in her body, every muscle, every blood vessel ached and throbbed and screamed at her. She was emotionally and physically exhausted.

Bob walked over to her. "I knew you could do it."

"I can't Bob! I'm not that girl anymore. I'm not prepared for this."

"I can help you Lisa. I know that you can do this." Bob put his hand on her shoulder, or at least hovered it centimeters above her shoulder. It was the best he could do. "I will make sure you are ready. I promise."

5


	14. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE MORNING AFTER**

The hospital was abuzz with the news. Vogler was gone. The company line was that he was embarrassed by a loss in the boardroom the day before. Only Cuddy knew the truth, and Bob, but he wasn't talking. House was in his office having a celebratory drink with his team. He noticed Cuddy passing by and called her in.

"Celebrating?" She managed to cover up most of her scrapes and bruises with a turtleneck and heavy makeup. House had already commented on her 'demure' attire about five times today.

"Of course. Vogler's gone." House handed her a glass of Champaign which she guzzled down like a pro. She handed the glass back to him. "You should be happy, you saved the hospital."

Cuddy laughed a short, tired laugh. "Yeah, I guess I did." She reflected on everything that was happening. She desperately wanted to tell House the truth. She looked at Chase, Foreman, Cameron and Wilson, all waiting for her to say something profound. All waiting to cheer and punch the air with their fists.

All they knew was that a threat to the hospital, nothing more than a bully who might tell them to do things they didn't like was gone. They didn't know the price she'd paid to get rid of him, or the threat he really was. "Can I talk to you, alone?" She looked at House pleadingly.

"Sure." House shrugged and followed her into the hall. "Gonna show me the hickey you've been hiding under that horrible top?"

"No." She had the flash of an idea to show him the bruises on her neck, where Vogler had tried to strangle her, or the lash marks on her arms where his nails had pulled through her flesh, but she didn't. He would get the wrong idea of how she got them. He wouldn't believe the truth.

She searched his face for a moment then changed her mind about what she was going to say. "You're not as safe as you think you are House." She looked at him with a tortured expression. "Just be careful."

House screwed up his face. It didn't help make sense of what she was saying. "I'm fine."

"I know you are House, but that can change." She was beating too far around the bush. He wasn't going to take her warning seriously.

"Are you threatening me?"

Cuddy made a fast decision. She might come to regret it, but it had to be done. "Yes House, I am. If you don't tow the line I'm going to make your life very difficult. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am." House frowned. Cuddy had never come down hard on him, not so seriously. Usually her threats were tinged with sarcasm. They both knew that she had little control over him, and they both accepted that. But this... this was just strange. She wasn't herself. That had House very scared.

"I mean it House." This was where she was supposed to get angry. Instead she just looked scared.

"What's really going on?" He took her arm. He wasn't going to let go until he got a real answer.

Cuddy looked through the glass wall at the foursome staring intently at them. "If you want answers, come to my office." She pulled herself loose and walked away. House didn't even bother looking into his office, instead he hightailed it down the hall after her. "Why can't you just tell me now?" He asked, limping quickly down the hall behind her. "And don't you dare take the stairs." He grabbed her before she could begin her decent to the first floor.

"I have something to show you." She allowed herself to be dragged to the elevator. She waited in silence, ignoring House's barrage of questions until they finally reached the seclusion of her office. She let him pass then locked the door behind them. She moved around the room quickly, shutting all the blinds.

"I'm liking this so far." House grinned thinking of all the dirty things that she could do to him in this kind of privacy. "Unless you're planning on killing me." House was having second thoughts. "In which case you should know that there is a note in a safe deposit box that says if I run into foul play, you're the reason."

"Fine." She wasn't as sharp as usual. This frightened House more than anything she'd done so far.

"What couldn't you tell me in the empty hallway?" House sat down.

"I have someone I want you to meet." She knew she couldn't do this alone. "Bob, would you mind joining us?"

House looked around. Who the hell was Bob and how did he intend to get into the locked room?

House's second question was answered when a distinguished looking gentleman floated out of Cuddy's desk.

"You must be Dr. House." Bob bowed politely.

"And you must be a side effect of the wrong medication." House looked at his bottle of pills to make sure they hadn't been switched with a nice hallucinogenic. He was disappointed to discover they hadn't, for more than one reason.

"House, this is Hrothbert of Bainbridge. He's an old friend of mine."

"Very old," Bob snickered. "Ancient really."

House waved his cane in Bob's direction and wasn't as surprised as he should have been when it simply slipped through Bob's legs.

"I really hate when people do that." Bob informed the room in general.

"That's not supposed to happen." He decided he must be dreaming, so he tried to undress Cuddy with his mind. It didn't work this time.

"What are you doing?" She looked nervously at House who was frowning and furrowing his brow in concentration.

"Nothing." House stopped. It was getting him no where. "So, Hrothbert..."

"Call me Bob, everyone does."

"Bob. Charmed." House looked him up and down. "I'd shake your hand, but I fear it would be a pointless effort."

"Indeed it would." Bob was impressed so far.

"Bob, please tell House what happened to Vogler." Cuddy just couldn't bring herself to do it herself.

"She killed him." Bob announced with no fanfare.

House's eyes darted quickly to Cuddy. She wasn't laughing. "What the HELL is going on around here?"

"Hellanto, actually." Bob corrected.

"Excuse me?" House looked back over at Bob.

"The demons are from Hellanto, not Hell. It's a common misconception, but I thought as a man of science you would want to be accurate."

"Yeah, thanks." House wasn't ready to give up the dream theory just yet. He tried again to get Cuddy to strip, when that didn't work he tried to make a purple unicorn cross their path, again with no luck, but he did have a nasty headache from the effort.

"I'm supposed to believe that you murdered Edward Vogler?" House was having a hard time believing it and didn't think Cuddy could say anything to convince him.

"Not murdered, as such," Bob mused. "I believe she self defenses him to death." Bob laughed heartily at that. She wasn't the first pupil of his to use self defense as a weapon.

"Bob!" Cuddy silenced him with her signature glare. "He came to see me last night. I thought it was a last ditch effort to get me to change my mind, or to yell at me for getting the board to vote against him, but it was to kill me."

"So she got him first," Bob added proudly. "It's what she does."

"Not helping," Cuddy mumbled under her breath.

"Oh, sorry, was that too much information?"

"Yes."

"No!" House corrected. Whatever their little aside was about, he wanted in on it. "What do you mean it's what she does? Are you some sort of serial killer or something?" House could see it now, the Lisa Cuddy True Hollywood Story. 'I always fancied her, guess I was lucky she turned me down' says colleague Dr. Gregory House.

"I'm apparently not allowed to say." Bob glanced over at Cuddy nervously then innocently folded his hands in front of him.

"House, Vogler said there was a mark on your head, there are things trying to kill you..."

"Things?"

"Yes, things."

"Like Vogler the Ogre," Bob added, wanting to be part of the conversation. "Hey, that rhymes."

"Focus, Bob." Cuddy chastised.

"On what? You won't let me say anything."

"Ignore her Bob, tell me what's going on." House tried to sound friendly. So he was talking to a man he could throw his cane through, that didn't mean he couldn't sweet talk him.

"I can't ignore her, she kills things like me."

"I do not!" His little ploy had worked. "You're not a monster. You're..." She looked at House who was listening intently. She sighed and dropped onto the couch. "You might want to sit down." Bob nodded furiously so House sat down next to her.

5


	15. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: ROAD TRIP**

After his conversation with Toots, Harry headed home to pack, and to do some research. He asked Bob to gather as much information as possible, then dispatched his trusty companion to help Lisa. Murphy arrived on his doorstep promptly at 8AM. They had set their departure at 9. Harry was already in the car.

"Going somewhere?" Murphy pulled a duffle bag out of her trunk and tossed it into the back of Harry's jeep. "I still think we should take my car."

"I was planning on leaving before you got here."

"I can see that." She smiled and handed him a cup of coffee. "Thought you might need this." She climbed into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt. "I haven't gone on a road trip in a long time."

"Yeah, well, me and airplanes don't get on so well. This is safer."

Murphy picked up the old book wedged between the two front seats. "What's this?" 

"A little light reading." Harry started the car up and pulled into traffic. "You can read it to me on the way." 

"Is this what we ran into the other night?" She flipped through the pages with great interest.

"Somewhere in there is what we ran into the other night."

"Any idea what it is?" Murphy frowned at a hand drawn picture of a nasty looking werewolf.

"It's sort of a who."

"A who?" Murphy rolled her eyes. "This better not turn into some stupid joke."

"No joke. Demon." Harry swerved through traffic. "You have your badge, right? In case I get a ticket?"

"Don't speed and you won't get a ticket."

"If I don't speed...oh forget it." He hated sounding like the fate of the world was in his hands, even if it was, it always came across as pretentious and boastful. "Just read the part about the Demons of Hellanto."

"Demons of Hellanto. Got it." Murphy rolled her eyes. She'd seen enough carnage to give werewolves the benefit of the doubt, and Toots had convinced her that fairies very well might exist, but demon? Come on, there was just no way that demons were real. She felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Here it is." She turned to a page with a title in blood red that she hoped wasn't actually blood. "The Demons of Hellanto." She looked up at him. "Well that's a convenient title."

"What did you think it was going to say?" Harry kept his eyes on the road and his throttle bobbing at the high end of the gage.

Murphy cleared her throat and began reading. "The Demon's exist in a time before humanity." She looked at Harry. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"They're very old."

She waited a bit longer but he said nothing more. "Gee, thanks." She went back to reading. "No one knows how many demons still exist, or how many ever existed to begin with." She laughed. "This is such an informative book."

"It's all we've got."

She kept reading. "They cannot be killed by anyone or anything..." Panic filled her voice. "What do you mean they cannot be killed?!?"

"Keep reading." Harry was calmly merging onto the highway.

"By anyone or anything beyond the Chosen One." She slammed the book shut. "The chosen what?"

"One. The Chosen One." Harry sighed. He supposed he should be grateful that she was taking this as well as she was. "In every generation there is a Chosen One, a slayer of demons, monsters, vampires you name it. The Chosen One has been bestowed with great strength and the power to destroy the indestructible."

"Oh, and just how are we supposed to find this Chosen One?" Murphy rolled her eyes. "Oh, wait, I remember, we're supposed to go to New Jersey. Well, I'm not sure you know this, but even though it's not the biggest state in the nation, there are still a damned lot of places to look." 

"Princeton." Harry announced quietly.

"Why Princeton?"

"Because I happen to know that that is where the Chosen One is living at the moment."

"Oh, of course." Murphy fumed in the passenger's seat for a while. Then it dawned on her. "You know who we're looking for don't you?"

"The Chosen One." He smiled mischievously. "Please try to keep up."

"Who is it Dresden?" She threatened. He noticed her gun hand twitch. That always happened when she was angry. It was a good little warning sign for him to back down.

"Lisa Cuddy. She's an old friend."

"And when did you plan on telling me this?" Murphy wanted to stop the car and storm out, only she wasn't the one driving, so all she could really do was storm out and get herself badly killed. "Would you slow down! The speed limit is..."

Harry jerked on the breaks and slowed to a crawl. "Is this better?"

"Where you born a smart ass, or is it something you picked up?"

"I was born this way."

"You're poor parents." She looked out the window, unwilling to speak to him any more at the moment.

"They loved me well enough, well, Dad did, and Mom never met me." Harry slowly increased his speed back up to 85.

"I'm sorry Harry," this touched Murphy's maternal side. She barely knew her own daughter. For some reason the courts thought Anna would be better off with her lawyer father than with her gun slinging cop mom. What do courts know?

"I figure, if we drive all night we should reach Princeton by mid afternoon." Harry didn't want to talk about his mother.

They drove for a long time in silence. Murphy picked the big book of demons up again and started flipping through the pages. She didn't learn anything else useful, but she was fascinated by the gory pictures and vague descriptions. "The only thing this book is good for is bashing the bastards over the head." She assessed the weight of the rather heavy book and thought it could easily render a man unconscious.

"I'll write a letter to the editor."

Harry hoped he hadn't made a mistake letting Murphy come along. When he thought about it he realized he hadn't actually let her come, he'd tried to avoid her coming. He should have gotten up a half hour earlier, not hit the snooze button, remembered to pack the nightshade so he didn't have to go back into the house to get it. The plan had been perfect, cast a little spell to send Bob's skull to Lisa, pack whatever resources he thought he would need and head out the door an hour before Murphy was do to arrive. He should have known Murphy would see right through his plan and arrive early.

He glanced over at the now sleeping woman beside him. She had no idea the amount of danger she was in. If anything happened to Murphy Harry would never forgive himself.

4


	16. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN: HOUSE GETS AN EXPLANATION**

"The Chosen One?" House snickered and looked from Cuddy to Bob. "You really think you're all that don't you?"

"I didn't pick the title. I didn't even ask to be chosen." 

"That's true. The Chosen One is more a decision of fate."

"Sure," House replied skeptically. He still had a nagging feeling that she was pulling his leg.

Cuddy took a deep breath and thought about how exactly to approach the subject. "You remember Buffy the Vampire Slayer?"

"Yeah?" House answered skeptically.

"Well, I'm like Buffy." Cuddy felt like an idiot.

House just sat and stared at her.

"What are you talking about," Bob inquired, "and who's Buffy?"

"It's a television show Bob. House understands television shows."

"Oh," Bob nodded and looked at simpleton House. He smiled nervously.

"There are a few inaccuracies, but for the most part, I did what she did."

"Looked smoking hot in a tank top and tight jeans?" House queried.

"Among other things," Bob agreed with a grin.

"I have superhuman strength and kill bad guys." Cuddy closed her eyes in a feeble attempt to make this all go away.

"And you screw vampires." House grinned.

"No, House, I do NOT screw vampires."

"She was too busy screwing Harry."

"Bob!" Cuddy knew by now that her protests were pointless, but she made the effort anyway.

"You did."

"That's none of his business." She gestured toward House.

"Well, actually..."

"It's none of your business House," she snapped.

"That's exactly what I was about to say." House winked at Bob. He wondered if all ghosts where this much fun. "So, Bob, who's this Harry guy you speak of?" House leaned back on the couch. Cuddy almost never talked about her past. He knew nothing about her time before they met except that she was from Chicago and didn't like to talk about it.

"Harry Dresden. He's a wizard."

"Of course he is." This was getting better and better.

"They were..."

"Enough Bob! House, there's a reason I don't talk about my past. It's over. It's in the past and I don't want to revisit it."

"Doesn't look like you have much of a choice." House wondered what he should ask next. So many questions were..."Wait a minute!"

"What?" His sudden outcry caught her by surprise.

"That bone crushed patient I had..."

"Frank Fratelli," Cuddy made a point of calling him by name. Some little part of her thought House might someday be led by example.

"Yeah, him. The reason I couldn't figure out what was wrong with him was...there was nothing medically wrong, was there?" He looked from Cuddy to Bob and back. "It was magic of some sort, or some demon or something."

"It was thaumaturgy." Bob replied knowledgably.

"Voodoo," Cuddy clarified. "Someone used something inanimate to represent Frank, and then literally squeezed the life out of him."

"Who?" House was relieved to know there was no logical diagnosis. He had begun to doubt himself, luckily that was unnecessary.

"How the hell should I know?" Cuddy was on edge, and even sharper than usual.

"You're the witch."

"No I'm not. I'm...it's different."

"Quite right," Bob assumed his lecturing voice. "Lisa is more of a tool, an instrument rather than a creator of magic. She can't make potions or cast spells any more than you could, but she can rip you in half with her bare hands."

"And don't think it hasn't crossed my mind," Cuddy injected.

"Good to know." House inched his way down the couch and out of Cuddy's reach as she just grinned at him.

"Maybe you'll think twice before skipping clinic duty again."

"I thought you were only allowed to kill monsters."

"Technically, yes." Bob informed him. "But few people are stopped by technicalities." Bob smiled knowingly at Cuddy and she looked away.

"You..." 

"We're not discussing it. RIGHT BOB?" She glared at Bob with such force that he buckled slightly.

"Not a word." Bob made the lock and key gesture at his mouth. He tossed the imaginary key over his shoulder. It seemed to satisfy Cuddy.

"Back to Vogler." House was beginning to process the conversation, and remembered what started it all. "What'd you do with the body?"

"I burned it." Cuddy said rather casually.

"With what?"

"Fire?" She thought that was pretty obvious.

"What did you do, cut him up and toss him in the fireplace?"

"Of course not."

"She covered him in gasoline and lit a match." Bob really was starting to have doubts about this House character. The buzz around the hospital was that the guy was obnoxious but brilliant. Bob had seen plenty of the obnoxious part, but he was still waiting on the brilliance.

"I'm sure no one noticed that." House rolled his eyes.

"Vogler is the least of our worries now. I am fairly certain that what Lisa killed last night wasn't the real Edward Vogler anyhow." Both House and Cuddy looked at Bob, waiting for further explanation. "Ogre's can't take the form of another living thing on their own, but there is nothing to stop a wizard from doing it for them."

"You mean someone sent him after me?" Cuddy had been too tired the night before to get Bob's take on the nights events, so this was the first she was hearing of this theory.

"I'm not entirely certain you were the target." Her confused look prompted further explanation. "It was a rather unnecessarily elaborate set up if all he wanted was to kill you. Why duplicate this Vogler guy? Why go after the hospital first? He could have just shown up at your door in any guise and attacked you."

"So what do you think he was really after?" House asked hoping the answer wasn't him.

"I don't know, but we'd better try to figure it out before it's too late."

4


	17. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN: TEN MILES TO PRINCETON**

Murphy woke up and rubbed her eyes. She looked out the car window at the passing scenery. "Where are we?"

"Almost there." Harry had his eyes on the road, thankful for the potion he'd taken before they left. It granted him 48 hours of total energy without need for sleep. It was a handy little potion. He used to take it with Lisa all the time during finals week.

"Almost where?" Murphy took a minute to process. "Oh, never mind. So, what do we do when we get th..." her words were cut short by a horrible accident on the side of the road. "Harry!" She shrieked when he showed no signs of stopping. "Harry there could be victims. We've got to help them!"

"Trust me, there aren't." He sped past the burning car and carried on.

"Harry Dresden how could you not even stop to check?" Murphy had always thought that no matter how irritating Harry was, he was, deep down, a good man. That's why she put up with him most of the time.

"Because it's not real," Harry stated. "Look, Murphy, something is trying to stop me from getting to Princeton. This is the sixth car crash I've driven past in fewer hours. I stopped at the first couple."

"But this one could be real. How do you know..."

"I know." Harry adjusted the sunglasses he was wearing.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses Harry? It's dark out."

"They're special." Harry let his mind wander back to the first accident he'd seen, somewhere in Ohio. He'd heard a child crying. That's what prompted him to rush into the wreckage instead of waiting for the authorities.

Murphy had just drifted off to a potion induced sleep. Sometimes it worked to his advantage that she didn't really believe in magic. It made it much easier to slip a sleeping potion into her water bottle. As soon as she was out, the accidents began. That should have been a clue. Whatever it was didn't want any complications.

Harry swerved the jeep to the side of the road. It was early middle of night, probably around midnight. The car was smoking and rolled onto its back. A child was crying loudly. He rushed to the wreckage and without thinking threw himself toward it.

The child was fastened tightly into a child seat. The mother was unconscious in the driver's seat. Harry pulled out the baby first. Probably about one year old, cute as a button with little curls all over his head. Then he went back to for the mother.

He was just about to unbuckle the mother's seatbelt when he heard it, a low, menacing growl coming from the direction of the baby. His first thought was a coyote coming to eat the kid. He spun around quickly, holding up a small pencil he would use to concentrate his magic.

The kid was gone. In its place was an indescribable horror with long fangs and nails that had been stained red with blood. To say it was a wolf wouldn't do it justice. To say it was a demon from hell would do it justice, but would be inaccurate. This was an earthly creature, and the only good thing about that was that it wouldn't be as difficult to kill.

The creature charged at Harry, who was quite used to this sort of thing and easily side stepped out of its way. He pulled his concentration into the make shift wand and shot a bolt of fire toward the monster.

It, too, was used to this sort of thing and stepped out of the path of the flame easily. Then it laughed. Now, being laughed at is never really fun, and being laughed at by an enemy is worse, but being laughed at by a scraggly haired skeletal monster who's main goal in life is to eat you is about the least fun thing Harry could thing of. And that laugh, that deep, mindless, starved laugh ripped through Harry's soul. He could feel it in the depth of his mind, and it unnerved him.

Harry threw his hands to his ears trying to block out the sound. It was a feeble effort, but worked well enough for him to regain his wits just in time to have the creature barrel head first into his gut.

Harry screamed as his body went flying backwards. "You bastard!" He was pissed now, and wide awake thanks to his potion.

Just before the monster sank its teeth into his favorite leather coat, Harry managed a wind spell that sent the thing flailing through the air. Then he sprang up and prepared himself for the next attack. The easy answer would have been to run, but Harry knew he was the only one who could stop this thing, and he couldn't leave it running loose in Ohio.

He gathered all his anger and all his fear and he focused it on the tip of the pencil. He hoped no one was watching because he knew how ridiculous he looked, a grown man holding a pencil as a nightmare from hell came charging at him.

"Blow him the fuckus upus." Harry shouted. It wasn't his best spell, but he hadn't had time to work on it, and the words weren't as important as the emotion and power behind them, so he just said whatever was on the top of his head.

A blast of light flashed from the end of the pencil and transformed into a raging fireball. Then it engulfed the charging demon. The monster let out a hellish scream of agony before exploding like a blood red firework.

Harry hurried back to the car and took off. It was pretty clear that this was a set up and the farther away he got from it, the better.

"It's green!" Murphy nudged his arm and brought him back to the present.

"What?" Harry around and noticed the streetlight was no longer red. A car honked behind them. "Shit." Harry looked through the rear view mirror then sped off.

"Not so fast." Murphy held on to the dashboard, braced for an accident.

"We're being followed Murphy." Harry kept glancing into his rear view mirror. The black sedan was still behind them, much too close behind them.

"You watch too many..." Murphy noticed the car too. "Oh. Turn right here." Harry obeyed. After all, she was a cop. They were surely trained in this sort of thing.

Murphy shot out several more orders and Harry followed. Soon, the sedan was nothing but a bad memory. "Not bad Murph." Harry had pulled the jeep into a crowded train station and parked it between two large SUVs.

"I'm not useless you know." It was a sore spot for Murphy, not being taken seriously as a cop. Being a woman, and worse than that a very pretty, petite woman had done nothing to instill confidence in her fellow cops. Even if she could shoot any one of them under the table, and had the highest arrest record in Special Investigations history, she was still cute little Connie to most of her macho colleagues.

"I know Murphy, I know." Harry gave her a hug before he realized what he was doing. Oh, she was going to hate that! Surprisingly she didn't slap him across the face like she did that time he kissed her. But that was a LONG story. Harry smiled.

"What?" Murphy looked at him nervously. Usually a Harry Dresden smile meant a lot of trouble for her.

"Nothing." Harry got out of the jeep. "We'd better ditch the jeep." He looked back at his beloved Korea era surplus army jeep. It had gotten him out of a lot of tough spots, but camouflage only really worked in the jungle, and whoever was in that sedan wasn't going to just give up because they'd lost them. It was only a matter of time before they showed up on Harry and Murphy's tails again, and Harry didn't want to make that any easier for them than he had to.

"What now? The train?" Murphy didn't like this turn of events. After hiking around Chicago, she wasn't looking forward to hitchhiking around New Jersey.

"Don't be ridiculous. We can take the bus."

4


	18. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: REUNION**

Harry found an area map just inside the train station. It was easy to find Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. It wasn't that far away either. "Let's go." He turned to Murphy who was still stretching her tired body after the long trip.

"Do you have something against catching our breath?" She was still half asleep from the potion she wasn't aware she'd taken.

"We don't have time for that." Harry, on the other hand, was still buzzed from the potion he'd taken. Maybe he'd used a little too much of each of them. "Sorry. You want something to eat? There's a Dunkin Doughnuts inside." He felt guilty.

"Food would be good." Murphy was skeptical, but hungry. "You're buying."

"Of course," Harry held the door open for her, which he knew would piss her off, but she was still too drowsy to do anything about it. 

Murphy eyed Harry as she walked past him into the train station. It was already 10am, past rush hour, but there were still a surprising amount of people around. She saw the Dunkin Doughnuts and made a bee line for it. She was hungrier than she realized. As she looked over the rows of doughnuts, she felt her stomach rumble.

As promised, Harry forked over a few dollars and bought Murphy a large coffee an onion bagel and a jelly doughnut. Harry bought himself a small coffee and a Boston Cream Doughnut with what was left. Now he was officially broke.

"Thanks," Murphy mumbled through a bite of bagel.

"Just keep your distance, okay." Harry found it very unladylike to eat an onion bagel, but he didn't plan on kissing Murphy today so it really wasn't any of his business. 

"What's the plan now?" Murphy felt better with some coffee and food in her system.

"I have no idea." Harry answered honestly because he really wasn't a very good liar. 

"Great." Murphy started in on her doughnut, eating slowly now that the initial hunger had been satiated. "So, we're hunting down an old girlfriend you haven't seen since you broke up and..."

"It wasn't like that." Harry didn't like the simplification of what had happened between him and Cuddy.

"Then what was it like?" Murphy was very curious to know what kind of woman the great Harry Dresden dated. She'd only ever met one, and that one got on her last nerve. Hopefully this one was a little better.

"Personal." Harry shut up and once he did, there was no way she was going to get him to talk about it. She knew him well enough to know this, so she moved on.

"Does she at least know you're coming?" Murphy wiped white powder off her chin.

"She's the one who called me."

"Oh, right." Murphy had forgotten that bit. "So you think that whatever is happening in Chicago is also happening here?" Murphy looked around. The Princeton train station seemed normal enough.

"I think so. I think there's a shift in power happening. If I'm right, then this is happening all over the world."

"But what is THIS?" He'd talked about THIS over and over, but he was being very vague about it all.

Harry snorted a laugh. "This is the end of the world."

Murphy laughed. "Right Harry. I think you've been watching too many horror films."

That was the last straw. Harry snapped. "How can you not believe Murphy? With everything we've been through together, with everything you've seen. Hell, you were possessed by a demon. How can you not remember that?" Harry remembered why. He had erased her memory of it. 

"You're insane." Murphy looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"I'm not insane. I'm a wizard. Come on Murphy. Think of all the cases we've worked on together. People getting their hearts ripped out, people dying of heart attacks when there were no medical signs of heart failure. People turning into wolves for Christ's sake!"

"Harry, lower your voice." Murphy looked around the room nervously. People were starting to stare.

"You have to believe Murphy. You have to." It had been a mistake to knock her out for their long ride. He'd done it for her sake, so she would get some good, deep rest in before the real action began. Hell, he did it for his own good too, so he wouldn't have to listen to her constant badgering and questions. If she'd been awake she would have seen the monster he dispatched. 

"Fine Harry, I believe," she said unconvincingly. "Now let's get out of here." People were still staring. She had wiped her face three times thinking she must still have powder on the end of her chin.

"We'd better." Harry got up and threw out their trash with less energy and enthusiasm than he'd had before. 

They took the bus to the hospital in silence. Murphy had to pay the bus fare since Harry had spent the last of his money on breakfast.

Harry hated hospitals. They reminded him of death. He'd actually had a very nasty run in with a particularly gruesome ghost in a hospital a few years back. He hadn't stepped foot in one since.

"Come on." Murphy pulled him across the threshold. 

"I'm coming." Harry trudged in after her, his defenses on red alert, ready to attack any nurse that looked at him like lunch. "Hello." He approached the main desk and a rather severe dark haired woman looked up at him.

"Can I help you?" 

"Yes, I'm looking for Dr. Lisa Cuddy." Harry felt his palms growing sticky. He was actually nervous.

"Do you have an appointment?" She looked at the computer screen and started playing with the mouse.

"Uh, no, but she's expecting me." 

Nurse Brenda looked at him again. "You don't look like Agnes Millhead."

"I'm..."

"I'm Agnes." Murphy stepped out from behind him. "I'm running late, so if it would be okay, I'd like to see Dr. Cuddy immediately."

Brenda looked the petite woman up and down. Nothing in Murphy's countenance said cop, and she was acting with the confidence of truth. "Sit over there; I'll let her know you're..."

"Harry?" Cuddy's voice echoed down the hallway. "Is that really you?" She left House and his cane in her wake as she rushed over to greet her old friend. "When did you get here?"

"Are you done asking questions?" Harry put his arms around her in a tight hug. It felt good to hold her in his arms once again.

"Not a chance." She pulled away and smiled up at him. "You look good." 

"Not half as good as you do." He gave her a kiss on the cheek before realizing they were in a room full of people. "Oh, I'd like you to meet Murphy...uh, Connie."

"Not your wife I take it." Cuddy smiled and extended her hand to Murphy. They shook politely and both looked at Harry.

"She's a friend." 

A strong voice cleared itself inches from Cuddy's ear. "Oh, this is Dr. Gregory House. House, this is Harry Dresden and Connie Murphy I believe?"

"Murphy's fine." Murphy gave House a firm handshake that he hadn't been quite prepared for. To regain his masculinity he shook Harry's a bit more firmly than he'd intended.

"Quite a grip." Harry massaged his abused hand. 

"I get lots of practice." House looked down the length of his body, stopping midway and waiting for Harry to get the inference. When he was sure everyone had gotten the hint he added, "with the cane," and rolled his eyes. Harry laughed. Murphy folded her arms over her chest and Cuddy just sighed.

"She said she was your 10:30," Brenda informed the group huffily.

"It's fine Nurse Previn. They're friends." Cuddy escorted the rest of the group to her office. Technically, she escorted Harry and Murphy and House just tagged along, but in the end they all ended up in her office so it didn't really matter.

"I'm glad you came." Cuddy sat down on the couch, Harry on one side, House on the other. Murphy opted to sit in a chair across from them.

"It sounded important." Harry looked around the room and relaxed slightly when he saw the old skull hidden behind a stack of books on her desk. He then looked over at House who was watching him carefully.

"I know all about Bob." House informed the worried wizard.

Harry shot a quick look to Cuddy. "Come out Bob," Cuddy called.

"No!" Shouted Harry, who had yet to introduce Bob and Murphy. It was too late. Bob had materialized out of his skull, and Murphy was staring at him in disbelief. 

"What.was.that?" Murphy rubbed her eyes to see if Bob would vanish again. He didn't.

"Hello fair lady. I am Hrothbert of Bainbridge, at your service." Bob turned and smiled at Harry. The guy had some good taste in women.

"And what exactly is a Hrothbert of Bainbridge?" Murphy didn't like how calm everyone else is. She hated to be the last one in on a joke. 

"I am a sorcerer of course."

"Bob's a ghost." Harry added because Bob often left that part out.

"A ghost?" Murphy was really at her wits end. This was too much. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

"Is she right Harry?" Bob turned and looked at his friend, and keeper. "Do I not exist?"

"You do exist Bob. You're standing right here." Harry felt the frustration rising. "Murph, you're just going to have to go with it. Lisa, what's going on?"

"She was attacked a few nights ago." Bob spoke for her, even though she'd opened her mouth. "Ogre. But he had been glamoured by someone. Probably a pretty strong wizard. Maybe even a sorcerer." Not many people knew it, but sorcerers ranked slightly higher than your run of the mill wizard. Sorcerers were also, 9 out of 10 times, evil. Bob was not the exception, though now that he was a ghost he was mostly harmless.

"Are you okay?" Harry nearly jumped her trying to assess her physical condition. House glowered in his corner of the couch.

"I'm fine Harry." Lisa gently laughed and pushed him away. "I still remember how to take care of myself."

"Of course." Harry almost pouted. He was not good with damsels who could kick his ass. He much preferred the distressed ones.

"So, the great Harry Dresden is here, does this mean we're all saved?" House drolled sarcastically.

"Been talking me up a little?" Harry would have blushed, but he wasn't that kind of guy.

"House tends to exaggerate." Cuddy elbowed House in the stomach. It was the international shut up and behave gesture. Unfortunately for her, House wasn't fluent in gestures, or he just ignored her warning. Either way, he kept on talking.

"She said you were the best she's ever had. That true?"

"House!" Cuddy turned on him, fury flashing through her brilliant blue eyes. It was such a turn on.

"Yes?" He smiled at her, diffusing the bomb.

"Just shut up and let the grownups talk." She turned back to Harry. "Do you have any idea what's happening?"

"Nothing more than what Bob could tell me." He looked at Bob who nodded, signaling that he'd already filled Cuddy in on that stuff.

"What are we going to do?" Cuddy was rusty at all this saving the world stuff. It had been years since she'd last done it.

"We build an army, we figure out what it is we're up against, and we kick its ass."

"We?" Bob inquired jokingly.

"Fine Bob, I go build an army, you figure out what we're up against, and Lisa will kick its ass."

"Ah." Bob smirked. He loved rubbing Harry's nose in the fact that Lisa had actually had to save him on more than one occasion. It was something Harry was certainly not proud of.

"And what do I do?" House felt left out, and he didn't like it.

"Bait?" Bob asked hopefully.

"You can stay out of it," Cuddy warned.

"Yeah, right. Now what can I really do?" House dismissed her and turned to Harry.

"I don't know. You can help me gather an army."

"Army of what?"

"People." Harry was starting to wish he'd given Cuddy's answer.

"Right." House held up an arm and cried out, "This is war peacock."

Everyone in the room, ghost included, turned to him with a blank expression.

"What?"


	19. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: EVERYONE ALWAYS THANKS HIM**

"I'm in the middle of something House." Wilson looked over at the older couple sitting on his office couch. They were about to receive some very bad news, but they didn't know it yet.

"Yeah, that can wait." House nodded to the couple, then turned back to Wilson. "This is important."

"So is this!" Wilson gestured toward the couple, hoping House would finally realize he was in the middle of something.

"No, this is like MAJOR important." House was clearly not going away.

"Would you excuse me Mr. and Mrs. Maitland?"

"Of course," the older man said. He squeezed his wife's hand lovingly.

Wilson quickly follows House out onto the balcony that separated their two offices. "This had better be important."

"I told you it was." House shook his head. Why didn't Wilson ever believe him?

"Well?" Wilson folded his arms to show his annoyance.

"I need you to help me save the world," House said excitedly.

"Is this another one of your stupid video games? I'm not interested. I have to go in there and tell Mr. Maitland that the woman he's been married to for the past fifty years is going to die in less than two weeks. I don't want to help you defeat the Sith or whatever the hell bad guy has you stymied this time."

"It's not a video game, and if you want, I'll tell Mr. Whoever that his wife is a goner."

"No! Don't!" Wilson panicked when House made a move toward his door. "What do you want?"

"Twin Swedish stewardess' that only know how to say one word," House waited for Wilson to ask. Wilson rolled his eyes.

"What word, House?"

"Yes," House said with a flourish. "Imagine, two buxom blondes who only know how to agree to every request I can think of." House grinned.

"House! That had better not be why you called me out here."

House shook his head. "It's not. I want you to join my army and fight the forces of evil." 

"This is a stupid video game." Wilson headed back to his office.

"This is NOT a video game!" House roared. "This is...look, meet me at my place tonight."

"This isn't Dungeons and Dragons is it?"

"How old ARE you?" House stared at him goofily. "Nobody plays D&D anymore. Not unless it's online."

"If I say I'll come will you let me get back to work?" Wilson had once again given up.

"Of course." House knew he'd won.

"Then I'll see you tonight."

"Eight o'clock."

"Eight o'clock." Wilson confirmed half heartedly.

"Bring refreshments," House called out to his retreating friend.

Wilson walked back into his office and tried to forget what time House had said.

"Welcome back Dr. Wilson," Mr. Maitland said happily. Wilson hated when they were nice.

"I'm so sorry about that Mr. & Mrs. Maitland." He sat back down in the chair across from them.

"We told you," the old lady said, "We're Patrick and Sally." She squeezed her husband's hand.

"Patrick and Sally." Wilson looked down at his hands to avoid looking at them. Sally's cancer had metastasized and entered her liver. It was too late to do anything. Now he had to tell her. "I'm afraid the news isn't good." This was the worst part of his job.

"It's okay doctor, we can take it." Patrick squeezed his wife's hand as she leaned against him for support. They were preparing for the worst, and they got it. Wilson told them the harsh truth.

"How long doctor?" Patrick looked lovingly at his wife. She had tears forming in her eyes. He carefully wiped one away.

"Two weeks at the most. I'm so sorry." Wilson held out his hand and placed it on Sally's arm. "I wish there was something more I could do."

"You've done enough doctor." There was an edge to Sally's voice. Wilson had expected it. He knew it wasn't really directed at him.

"Sally," her husband pleaded, "Dr. Wilson has done all he could." He kissed her gently on the forehead. "Besides, we've had fifty good years my dear. Not many people are that lucky."

Wilson snorted a little laugh. He didn't mean to, but he thought of all his failed marriages and the fact that the only person he was likely to spend fifty years with was House. If he didn't laugh he might have cried. "Please, stay here, I'm going to go do a few things, take your time." He always liked to let the patients have a moment alone after news like this. It was the least he could do.

"Thank you doctor." Patrick shook his hand firmly.

Wilson walked out the door and almost collided with a waiting House.

"They always thank you, don't they?"

"Shut up." Wilson snapped. He just wasn't in the mood.

"Now what? Don't tell me it's that time of month again."

"I said shut up House." They had been on their way to their regular lunch date, but Wilson turned and walked back down the hall the other way. He really wasn't in the mood.

"What's with him?" Asked Foreman as he watched Wilson retreat down the hall. "Did he finally figure out what a jerk you are?"

"I told him those pants made him look fat." House blew past Foreman and tried to get to the cafeteria.

"I have a case you might be interested in." Foreman followed him.

"God, you're as bad as the girl."

"Cameron?" Foreman asked.

"Yeah, that one."

"Sorry if we actually want to watch you do your job so we can learn something."

"Why don't you do my job, and I'll tell you what you fucked up, and you can fix it. Then you will learn from your mistakes."

"The patient is a young male, presenting with violent mood swings, blackouts and an acute sense of smell." Foreman followed House into the elevator and read off the chart.

"So?" House pushed the door closed button repeatedly.

"So, this is his third trip to the clinic in as many months and..."

"When were the other visits?" House grabbed the chart.

"I'd tell you, but you took the chart."

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. House hurried out, followed by Foreman who was doing a remarkable Cameron impersonation.

"Last month." House looked up. "When was the last full moon?"

"How the hell would I know?"

"Look it up." House thrust the chart back at Foreman. "And check the month before as well. And admit this kid." Foreman wasn't moving. "Stat!"

Foreman hurried off to follow House's orders. He wasn't sure what to make of House's questions, or if House was just messing with him, but at least he'd gotten the patient admitted.

4


	20. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINTEEN: ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER PATIENT**

Foreman admitted Gerard Smith and gathered Chase and Cameron into the diagnostics office to discuss the case.

"Where's House?" Cameron asked, not willing to participate without her hero...mentor.

"He'll be here. He said to get started without him." Foreman lied easily. He didn't hold either Dr. Chase or Dr. Cameron in very high esteem.

"Well?" Chase looked expectantly at Foreman.

"Gerard Smith, nineteen, healthy his whole life, no surgeries, no medications, he never even had allergies. He's now presenting with skin rashes, rapid hair growth, insatiable appetite, mood swings, his sleep patterns have changed..."

House, standing in the doorway swinging his cane cut Foreman's speech short. "I'll give a raise to whoever figures this one out." He smiled at the three of them.

"You don't think we can do this?" Cameron pouted.

"I know you can't." House smirked. He'd already solved the case, and he knew there was no way these three would figure it out.

"Really?" Foreman asked challengingly. "Is that a challenge?"

"Sure." House set his cane back down on the floor and leaned on it. "But what do I get when you lose?"

"IF we lose," Foreman replied pointedly, "we will each take a week of your clinic duty. If we win..."

"That doesn't matter because you're not going to solve the case." House waved the idea away with his cane.

"When we win you will give us each a raise," Cameron announced proudly.

"Fine, whatever, I'll offer you anything you'd like."

Cameron hesitated. There were so many things she could say right now. "Raises, for all of us." She pushed all the other thoughts from her mind.

"You have three days." The moon would be full by then, and he'd probably have to get Cuddy to come kill his patient at that point, but until then, it might keep them out of his hair.

"Three days?" Foreman protested.

"Good luck." House waved them a goodbye then left.

"Why three days?" Chase finally spoke.

"Why does House do anything he does," Foreman replied.

"Maybe the patient is sicker than we thought." Cameron picked up the chart again and began pouring over it. "We'd better get started."

"He's not going to die in three days if that's what you're implying." Foreman felt his expertise as a doctor were being challenged.

"I didn't mean..."

"Are there any other symptoms that aren't already on the board?" Chase hated it when they bickered, so he tried to refocus the group.

Foreman read off a few more symptoms and some details on patient history. The others listened intently and shot out ideas. Each idea was quickly shot down by one of the others. There seemed to be an unspoken competition going on between them. Not only did they each want to beat the three day deadline, but they wanted to be the first to get the answer. They each had reasons for wanting to impress House more than their colleagues.

"It has to be something very rare, if House thinks we can't figure it out," Cameron proclaimed.

"Or he thinks we're idiots," Chase added.

"He doesn't think we're idiots." Cameron protested.

"It doesn't matter why he is challenging us. All that matters is that we rise to the challenge and prove to him that we are capable of doing our job." Foreman reasoned.

"You don't think he's still trying to get rid of one of us do you?" Cameron was paranoid after Vogler forced House to fire one of them.

"If he did want to get rid of one of us he'd just fire Chase."

"What? Why?" Chase looked up quickly.

"You turned on him. Now that Vogler's not around to protect you..."

"I'm going to go talk to the patient." Chase picked up the chart and walked out.

Cameron watched silently until he was clear down the hall, then she turned on Foreman. "Why did you have to say that?"

"I don't trust him."

"Either do I but you don't have to tell him to his face."

"You'd rather I talk about him behind his back?"

Cameron stuttered for a moment. "No. That's not what I'm saying."

Foreman realized that Chase was off talking to their patient while they sat here and argued. "I'm going to check on the patient." He quickly took off down the hall. Cameron, now that she'd got what was going on, was hot on his heals.

Gerard Smith was a small, dark, fragile looking kid. He had black hair that hung stingily into his face. His pale skin was a sharp contrast behind it. He wore a black tee shirt, and a long black jacket with far too many buckles hung on a chair near his bed. He was flipping through a gaming magazine. "Hey," he nodded at Chase.

"Hey," Chase nodded back. "Mind if I move this?" Chase pointed to the jacket.

"You can hang it up." Gerard replied, not looking up.

Chase hung the coat behind the door and sat down. He opened the chart and began flipping though and asking Gerard such exciting questions as "Have you ever had your appendix out?"

"It says in my chart. Can't you read?"

"Sorry for asking." Chase sat and quietly read the chart before asking any more questions. "So, are you sexually active?"

Gerard looked at him for a moment. "What do you think?" He held out his hands so Chase could get a good look at him.

"That's a no then?" Chase asked cautiously.

Gerard laughed. "Yeah, that's a no, if you mean with other people."

It was Chase's turn to laugh. "Is your hair natural?"

"It's my hair if that's what you mean."

"It's not. I mean do you dye it?"

"Yeah." 

"What do you use?"

"Whatever's on sale." Gerard sounded bored. He was one of those disillusioned teenagers who thought they were very cool because they listened to depressing music and wore all black.

"Great." Chase nodded helplessly.

The door opened and Foreman burst in, followed by Cameron. Gerard looked them over and then returned to his magazine. "They with you?" He asked Chase casually.

"Sort of."

Foreman started to speak, but Gerard wasn't listening. "What's that mean?"

"We're in a sort of competition to see who can diagnose you first."

"Chase!" Cameron protested. She found it terribly tacky to let patients know they were a game.

"Cool." Gerard nodded his approval. "Hope you win."

"Thanks." Chase handed the chart over to Foreman, or more accurately, Foreman snatched the chart out of Chase's hands.

"You gonna let him get away with that?" Gerard drawled slowly.

"There's nothing useful on there anyway. I think you told me all I need to know" Chase smiled at Gerard conspiratorially.

"Yeah, you want me to go mum for the square and the hotty?"

Chase cracked up while Foreman tripped over his protests and Cameron blushed. "Yeah, if you don't mind."

"Nah. Makes no difference to me." Gerard shrugged. "Later."

"Later." Chase got up and left.

Cameron had recovered and quickly took the chair before Foreman could. "So, Gerard," she leaned closer to the boy. "How are you feeling?"

"Hard at the moment," Gerard deadpanned. Foreman nearly choked on a laugh. Cameron's eyes grew the size of saucers. "You interested?"

"I...that's...I'm your doctor." Cameron stumbled over her words.

"I know. I've always wanted to play doctor." Gerard's delivery was jaded and flat. It was unnerving.

"I'm sorry Gerard, but I can't get involved with a patient."

Gerard started laughing. "I don't want to get involved with you. I just wanted to bang you. But if you're not interested, no prob." He went back to reading. Foreman doubled over, clutching his stomach. Cameron gasped so loudly she nearly inhaled the room.

Without another word Cameron stormed out. First House and his stupid contest, now this. Why was everyone out to get her? What had she done to piss off fate? She slammed into Nurse Brenda and kept going. Brenda watched the young doctor walk away without an 'excuse me' and shot daggers at the girls back.

The door to Gerard's room opened and Brenda walked in with a tray of medicine. "I..." she took one look at Gerard and dropped her tray. She ran out of the room.

"What is going on around here today?" Foreman picked up the tray and it's now useless contents and put them on the table. "It's not usually like this around here." He turned to look at Gerard who seemed paler than usual. "Are you okay?"

"Who the hell was that?" He tried to hide his fear behind anger.

"She was a nurse. I don't know what scared her off like that." Foreman looked to the door for answers, but found none.

"It's okay," Gerard shook some strange feeling out of his head. It was like deja vue but much, much worse.

6


	21. Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY: BACK TO BRENDA 

Nurse Brenda Previn did something she had never before done. She left work early, without a word to anyone. Seeing the young man who had attacked her just over two months ago had shaken her to her core. She needed to get away.

Head down, she pushed past a couple of orderlies and flew out the back door. Her car was toward the back of the parking lot. She liked to park there because it forced her to walk. She called it her exercise. Now she was cursing the long stretch. It only allowed more time to be seen.

Luck seemed to be on her side for a change. No one saw her as she darted across the parking lot and stumbled into her car. She sat there for a while, head against the steering wheel, tears rolling down her cheeks. That boy was just a painful reminder of what she'd become, and of what was coming.

She looked up at the sky. It was still daytime, and she couldn't see the moon yet, but she knew it was there. She could feel it, pulling at her. She started feeling it last night. Last month, when she'd attacked that guy; she had always thought she had a temper, but until that night she had never known what real rage was. It scared the living shit out of her.

Now it was about to happen again. It hadn't taken her long to figure it out. She was a werewolf. That kid, House's patient, he was one too. He had turned her into one. She didn't hate him for it, she couldn't, now that she knew what he was going through. The hardest part was losing control like that. She would never be able to trust herself again.

She started the car and hurried home. She knew Douglas would be there, and it was time to tell him everything, even if he would never believe her. She just couldn't do this alone anymore.

His car was in the driveway. Brenda heaved a sigh of relief and felt tense fear ripple through her body. She and Douglas had really had it pretty easy. Sure there were rough times, financially, when he went back to school, and they had their little fights like all couples do, but all in all, their marriage was pretty solid.

"Douglas?" She opened the door and called out for him. She had to see his face, had to look into his warm, loving eyes.

"In the kitchen," he called back. When she entered the kitchen he turned to look at her. "What are you doing home so early?" He saw her red, watery eyes and her hunched, defeated posture. "What's wrong?" He rushed toward her and pulled her into his arms.

"I..." she sniffled, "I have something I have to tell you."

"Come, let's sit down." Douglas guided her to the couch, one arm tightly held around her shoulders. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it." He was preparing himself for the worst, an affair, death in the family, oh no, had she found out she has cancer? His face became more and more grim and still he was not prepared for what she was about to say.

"Please, I know this is going to sound ludicrous, but please let me get it out before you tell me I'm crazy." She nuzzled her head against his shoulder. She felt so safe there, but not safe enough.

"Tell me, I can take it." He was half joking, trying to cheer her up, but he really did think he could handle anything. As long as his beloved Brenda was by his side, he could move mountains.

"I was attacked a couple months ago..."

"Attacked?" His hold on her tightened. "Why didn't you..."

"You promised you wouldn't interrupt." She looked him in the eye, but only for a split second.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

"I didn't tell you because, well, I didn't want to worry you. I thought I was okay."

"Th..." he shut his mouth quickly, remembering his promise.

"It wasn't until later. A month later to be exact, that I realized I had received more than just some scrapes and bruises." She could feel Douglas tensing up. This was breaking her heart, and his. "Douglas, I...I still can't really believe it, only last month, at the fool moon...I did something that I know could only have happened if...if..." She broke out in tears.

"If what? What did you do?" He was trying to be gentile, not to push too hard, but he was dying inside. If something was wrong with his wife, he wanted to know, he wanted to help. Mostly, though, he was angry with himself. Why hadn't he noticed she'd been attacked? Why hadn't he noticed...but he did notice a change in her, he did worry that she was depressed, that she wasn't herself, but he didn't say anything. He just stood there and waited for her to come to him. Now that she had, he felt like shit for waiting so long.

"I killed a man." She could barely get the words out.

"What?" Douglas knew he hadn't heard right. Sure Brenda was a hothead at times, but she was never violent. Never. Not once had he seen her raise a hand to anyone. "Where you in an accident?" That had to be the reason. It must have been an accident of some sort.

"It was not an accident Douglas. I murdered a young man."

"Why?" Screw his promise. Douglas had to know what the hell was going on.

"I'm a werewolf Douglas." She cringed, waiting for the laughter, the verbal attack. There was nothing but stunned silence. "Did you hear me? I said..." 

"I know what you said, and it's too ridiculous to respond to." His hold on her loosened. She could feel him slipping away. "There are no such things as werewolves." He looked down at her and the warmth was gone from his eyes. "What really happened Brenda?"

"I told you." She sniffled. She was losing him, and she couldn't even fight for him. "I need your help Douglas." She took his hand in hers. "Please. I know you don't believe me, and I don't blame you, and if, next week you want to walk out that door and never look back, I won't blame you for that. I would if I could. But for the next few nights I need your help." She waited, he said nothing. "I need to be restrained. Locked up, tied up, something. I don't want to hurt anyone. I'm afraid." She started to cry on his shoulder again.

Douglas looked down at his wife, the woman he adored, his soul mate. He knew she wasn't telling the truth, but he wasn't so sure she didn't believe it. She wouldn't lie to him, not about something like this. "What do you need me to do?" He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

The hours passed and she cried. She let out all the fear and horror she'd felt for two months. Douglas sat quietly, letting her purge everything she needed purge. He loved her, and whatever was really going on with her, he was going to stand by her and support her.

Questions raced through Douglas's mind. So many questions. He bit his tongue to stop them from spewing forth in a barrage. She was clearly in pain. The best thing to do was let her speak when she was ready.

"Douglas," she finally lifted her head and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"I really don't deserve you." She let out a last burst of tears. It was all she had left.

Douglas smiled down at her. "That goes double for me."

"You have to leave me." Her voice was full of pleading. She had to say it quickly before she lost the nerve. "You have to go, save yourself. If I ever did anything to hurt you, I would never forgive myself."

"I don't think I'd forgive you either," he joked. She didn't laugh. "I'm not leaving you Brenda. Not like this. What do you need me to do? You talked about restraints. Do you want me to tie you up?" If only things hadn't been so gravely serious at that moment he might have quite liked that idea.

"Yes. Um, the garage. Chains. Ropes won't be strong enough. Get some chains and industrial locks. The strongest you can find. Hopefully that will be enough." She looked into his eyes. "And whatever you do, don't come in there at night. I'm begging you. If you ever loved me, don't come into the garage after dark."

"I will always love you." He kissed her forehead again. The last remnant of tears slid down her cheeks.

"Then you promise?" She refused to let him off this hook. It might just save his life.

"I promise, but I know you could never hurt me."

"Don't." She cringed. She knew he would say that, and she knew he had no idea what she was capable of anymore. "Just promise me that no matter what happens, you will not go in the garage after dark."

"I promise." Her sincerity unnerved him. She really seemed to think she could hurt him. That idea sent a chill down his spine.


	22. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: TIME'S UP**

House looked again at his calendar. Time was up. His trio of highly trained doctors had not come up with a diagnosis on WolfBoy and if House didn't do something about it today, well, it was a full moon tonight, and we all know what happens then.

"Don't all rush me at once," House said as he walked into the diagnostics office. He received a trio of blank stares. "Okay, who wants to go first?" Nothing. "Times up. Today is the day you lose the bet."

Cameron was the first to speak." You've ruled out every diagnosis we've come up with."

"Because they're all wrong."

"Can't you just tell us?" Chase was tired of playing.

"That would be cheating."

Foreman's temperature was rising. "This isn't a game House. We are dealing with a human life. Just because this kid was unfortunate enough to get stuck with you as his doctor doesn't mean he shouldn't be treated like a human being."

House thought about this, then smiled. "Once a month he shouldn't be treated like a human being."

"What?" Was Chase's literate reaction.

Cameron's reaction was to grab a book that was open on the desk and start flipping back through the pages. She'd gotten the hint. Foreman just folded his arms and stared House down.

"Male menstruation," Cameron announced excitedly.

"There's no such thing," Chase said, horrified.

"Yes there is. It's very rare," Cameron spun the book so that House could read the article she'd found. "But there have been noted cases. It all fits. Mood swings, tired for no reason, everything happening once a month..."

"Where's the blood?" House didn't even bother looking at the article.

"What?" Cameron tried to keep her bubble from bursting, but House was towering over her with the proverbial pin and she knew he was ready to use it.

"The blood, you know the menstruation bit in the whole male menstruation, unless you think this is some sort of psychosomatic sympathy menstruation, emphasis on the psycho." He looked pointedly at Cameron.

"There are many documented cases of sympathy pregnancy. The mind tricks the patient into thinking they too are suffering from all the symptoms of pregnancy while the wife is going through them."

"And who, exactly, would this kid be having sympathy for?" House was fascinated with watching her grab at straws. She was trying so hard to impress him.

"His mother, girlfriend..."

"Wrong, but you get a gold star for the effort." House turned to Chase. "What have you got?"

"Nothing," Chase said honestly. House moved on.

"Foreman? What neurological condition do you think is causing this?"

"I do not automatically think everything is neurological. I think Gerard is suffering from Lycanthropy." He turned toward Cameron and Chase to explain. Mostly because he couldn't stand looking at House's smug smirk any longer. "Someone suffering from lycanthropy will actually believe they are a werewolf. They think themselves into all the symptoms you see in the movies, the hair growth, moods, blackouts, all revolving around the phases of the moon. Look at the kid. He's one of those Goth types, who wants to be a vampire or a werewolf or something else he thinks is cool. Trying to impress his friends, or scare his enemies. At his age the mind is impressionable enough to buy into the idea, and before long he is no longer in control of it."

House grinned from ear to ear.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Foreman wanted to hear it. He wanted to make House admit that he was right, that House wasn't the only one who could come up with crazy diagnoses and have them be right.

"You're certainly close." House nodded appreciatively. "Well, gotta go." He spun on his good heel and hurried out the door.

"What?" Chas looked at the door.

"I said it was all in his head and I got laughed at." Cameron looked at the place where House's ass had just vanished from. She could still see it if she used her imagination.

"Asshole." Foreman started straightening out the books on the table violently.

"Just because he didn't pat you on the head and tell you you did good doesn't mean he's an asshole." Cameron protested. "Besides, he didn't say you were right, only that you were close. Clearly it's something psychosomatic."

"Then why did he practically laugh when you suggested it?" Foreman snapped.

"He didn't laugh!" Cameron pouted.

"Well, he didn't take it seriously." Foreman thought for a moment. "I don't think he meant that this is all in the boys head. I think he meant the werewolf part was close." Foreman sat back down and grabbed a book. "We're looking for something that presents like a werewolf."

Chase laughed until he realized Foreman was serious. "Should I go rent a copy of Werewolf in London?" They both glared at him. "For research." He protested jokingly as he sat down and grabbed a book. "What the hell presents like a werewolf?"

3


	23. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: POOR GERARD SMITH**

"You're kidding, right?" Gerard looked up at the scruffy doctor. "A werewolf? For real?"

"For real." House was flipping through one of Gerard's magazines. "I'm sure there's an article or two in here you could check out."

"It's mostly music." Gerard pulled the magazine out of House's hand. "Nothing about werewolves." 

"Well, maybe you can submit an article after tonight."

"Why after tonight?" Gerard didn't have a calendar handy.

"Can't you feel it?" House was suddenly concerned. Had he been wrong?

"Feel what?"

"Your hair is thicker." House pulled at the boys hair and got a slap on the hand as a thank you. "You're certainly more irritable." House smiled. "Sniff the air, what do you smell?"

"Huh?" Gerard looked at the old man like he was some sort of joke.

"Sniff." House demonstrated and Gerard followed suit. "What do you smell?"

Gerard sniffed deeply. "I smell...blood. Lots of blood, and flesh. People." He sniffed again.

"How does it make you feel?"

Another sniff was followed by one word. "Hungry." Gerard began to cry as the truth hit him. House was unmoved.

"I smell antiseptic."

"I don't give a fuck what you smell!" Gerard threw his fists onto the bed. "Make it go away. You're a doctor, make this go away!" 

"I'm not a witch doctor," House chided. "The only thing I can do is put you down."

"What?" Gerard was confused.

"Put you down? Didn't you own a dog as a kid?"

"No."

"Euthanize you; send you off for the big sleep?" Gerard still wasn't getting it. "Kill you!"

"What?" His dark eyes widened in fear. "You want to kill me? What kind of doctor are you?"

"The kind that doesn't want to get eaten by a moody teenager with bad hair."

"I wouldn't...I..."

"Will not be you. You have no control over this. Once the moon rises, you will be a savage, mindless animal, and you will kill anyone who comes in contact with you."

Gerard thought about this. The nightmares came flooding back. The tears grew heavier. "I think I already have." His memories of the past three full moons were nothing more than bad dreams to him. He didn't remember them as real. He'd never imagined they were real.

"Can't I get rid of it?" He looked so much younger now, much more helpless and small.

"What kind of Goth kid are you? Don't you even read the classics?"

"Wha..."

"There is no cure for werewolfism, unless you count a silver bullet. The only way to stop it is to kill you now, before you change." House put a bottle of pills on the small table beside Gerard's bed. "You've got three hours till the sun goes down." He got up and walked to the door. Before leaving he took one last look at Gerard Smith. He was just a kid. This wasn't right. House sighed and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Gerard looked over at the bottle. He thought of all the times he'd wanted to kill himself. The slit wrists; the time he threw himself down the stairs; the bottle of sleeping pills he stole from his grandmother's purse. He'd never really meant it. Maybe everyone was right and he was just a poser, a fake. This was his chance to prove them all wrong.

He picked up the bottle and thought about the nightmares. That lady who'd been taking a late night stroll. She hadn't done anything to him, she'd just crossed his path and he'd attacked her. She was strong, and she managed to get away, but if she hadn't fought so hard, he would have killed her.

"I don't want to die!!!!" He shouted into the room.

The door opened and Dr. House came limping back in. He walked over and grabbed the pills out of Gerard's hand. "Good." He tried to hide his real relief behind a veil of sarcasm. "Then we've got to come up with a plan."

In a small house a few blocks away from the hospital a plan was already in action. Douglas Previn had made a trip to the hardware story and was now building a small cage in his garage. He had never welded before, and when the store clerk asked him what he needed all that equipment for, he said he was building a doghouse. He wasn't sure the guy believed him.

Now his masterpiece was complete. It was ugly as sin, but it was strong and hopefully it would survive the night. "Do you like it?" He asked his beloved wife. Thoughts of putting her in there broke his heart.

"Are you sure it's strong enough?"

"I don't know. I don't know what...happens." He choked back his worst fears.

Brenda kissed him on the cheek. She hadn't gotten up the courage to go into detail. She didn't like to talk about it at all.

"Now what?" He looked at her helplessly.

"We have dinner, then I go in there for the night." She nodded toward her cage.

"There's no other way?"

"No."

They headed in and had a lovely lasagna. They washed up together as they always did, her washing, him drying and putting the dishes away, then they headed back for the garage. The sky was growing dark and the moon was almost visible on the horizon.

"How long before...when does it happen?"

"Not long." Brenda pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to him. "You're going to have to give me this. I can't do it myself."

He looked down at the syringe. "What is it?"

"A tranquilizer. It will knock me out, hopefully all night."

"Then we don't need the cage," he said hopefully.

"We do. I don't know how long the tranq will work once I've...changed."

"I wish there was another way," Douglas embraced his wife.

"So do I," she whispered in her ear, then felt a sharp prick. He'd administered the tranquilizer.

"I love you Brenda."

"I love you too Douglas."

He held the door for her as she walked into her cage, then he lovingly placed the shackles on her wrists and ankles. "Must I?"

"Yes. And make sure they are tight." A tear was rolling down her cheek. She was hating every minute of this.

"Yes my dear." Douglas was crying too. He never cried. He was one of those solid, strong men who never cried. But this was breaking his heart, and he cried.

"I love you." She gave him one last kiss before he shut the door on her.

"Can't I stay..."

"NO!" She snapped. She could feel the moon pulling at her. She could feel the change coming.

Back at the hospital, House was racing against time. He called the Ducklings into the room. "We're going to have to monitor him all night."

"But why? He's in a coma." Chase didn't get it.

"I know. I put him in it." Duh.

"Why?" Cameron asked, concerned for the boys welfare.

"Because he was getting on my nerves. Kind of like you." House looked at her dangerously. Cameron backed up without realizing it.

"You're trying to make it through the night." Foreman laughed. "You think he's gonna change into a werewolf?"

"Don't be ridiculous." House snapped.

"Then why the sudden coma?"

"The kid is in pain. You all want him to just lay here and suffer needlessly? What kind of heartless bastards are you?" He looked at Cameron. "Sorry, heartless bastards and bitch." He nodded to her like a perfect gentleman. "So, who wants first shift?"

"I'll take it," Foreman said at the same time Chase said he wanted it.

"Ooh, you're going to have to fight for it." He turned to look at Cameron. "Go get the Jell-O." She looked at him, confused.

"Take it," Foreman said to Chase. House grinned and nodded. He thought Foreman would be the first to give in. Mostly he thought Chase would be willing to Jell-O wrestle for it.

5


	24. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: NIGHT WATCH**

After a bit of deliberation, House decided it would be better if they paired up on shifts. The only fair way to do it would be for House to decide which pairs would be the most annoyed with each other. That way he was sure they would not fall asleep on him. The first shift went to Wilson and Chase. Wilson tried to protest, saying he wasn't involved, but House refused to listen.

"I need you to keep Chase awake. It's not fair to make Cameron stay up twice..."

"Why me? Why not Foreman?" She snotted.

"Because I don't want Chase and Foreman getting into any hanky panky. With you around I'm certain that won't happen." House smiled at her. She thought he was joking so she laughed uneasily.

"Fine, then Foreman and I will come after midnight to relieve you." Cameron turned her attention to Chase.

"Come?" House said with confusion. "You're just going to be down the hall."

"We're sleeping here?" She protested questioningly.

"Yep. I already cleared it with Cuddy." That was a lie, but Cuddy was locked in her office, and would head straight home when she finally came out, so she would never know.

"Great." Cameron sounded less than thrilled.

"Well, night all." House grabbed his bag and headed out the door.

Wilson looked at the three younger doctors and wondered why he always got himself involved in these things. He also wondered why Foreman got the shift with Cameron. "Well, you two should get some rest. "

"Yeah, come get us when our shift starts." Foreman felt about as thrilled as Wilson felt.

Cameron and Foreman trudged down the hall and disappeared through a door. They were both relieved to see two beds in the room separated by a divider. Neither of them would have put it past House to leave them with one bed.

Chase led Wilson into Gerard's room.

"So, we get to watch this kid sleep all night?" Wilson picked through a pile of magazines, none of which...oh, Playboy. Wilson grabbed it quickly then sat down and put his feet up on the bed.

"Do you think you should do that?" Chase looked at Wilson's feet.

"Sure, the kids in a coma he won't mind." Wilson carefully opened the cover and sighed.

"Okay." Chase shrugged and pulled up a chair.

Wilson didn't speak until he'd poured over every page of the magazine. "House hasn't figured out what's wrong with him yet?"

Chase looked at him for a moment before speaking. "Yeah, he has."

"Then what are we doing here?"

"He won't tell us. I thought he would have told you."

"He doesn't tell me everything." Wilson said sadly.

"Oh." Chase had kind of worked up the idea in his head that House and Wilson were sort of an item. Sure Wilson was married, but Chase was enlightened enough to know what a Beard was.

"And he didn't tell you what we're looking for?" Wilson was concerned. It wasn't like House to keep things from him.

"Nothing." Chase realized this could be taken more than one way. "We're not looking for anything. We're just making sure he stays unconscious." Chase snorted. "I almost think Foreman was right and House thinks this kid is going to turn into a werewolf at midnight."

"That's not when it happens." Wilson chuckled. Kids really didn't appreciate the classics. "He would have changed by now. The moon is up."

"Hmph." Chase didn't believe in werewolves, so there was no point really debating it. "Whatever."

Wilson thought back to a conversation he'd had with House, then he realized he'd stood his friend up. Funny, House hadn't mentioned it. Usually he loved to torment Wilson about these things. "Has he...said anything to you?"

"Like what?" Chase was blissfully oblivious to the ominous tone in Wilson's voice.

"Like about werewolves, or...evil. Saving the world from the forces of evil."

Chase burst out with a laugh. "You're serious." He stopped as suddenly as he'd started. "Uh, not lately. Maybe his superhero costume is in the shop."

"Right." Wilson wasn't laughing.

Brenda looked at the blacked out windows of the garage. Even though she couldn't see it, she could feel the moon pulling at her. It was early yet, but she could feel it creeping over the horizon and calling to some dark, primal place inside her.

She willed herself to sleep but it wouldn't come. As time past she could feel herself changing. The first thing to go was her mind, slipping into an ignorant fog. The only blessing in that was that it took the pain away. As her body began to contort and deform into something savage and monstrous, her only thoughts were of eating, of tearing flesh and shredding bone.

She no longer worried about her husband walking in and seeing her like this. She no longer feared the pain and death she could cause. She just wanted to feed.

She rattled at her restraints. Both arms and legs were chained to the floor. Douglas had broken his back making sure the cage was secure and to her exacting standards. Nothing was too good for his Brenda.

She could smell him, even though he was in the house, several yards away, she could smell him. He was an increasingly rotund man. Lots of tasty meat to devour.

The old Brenda, nurse, wife, wanna be mother, felt the anguish of helplessness deep inside the beast. She was still there, fighting to survive the night. She tried to think of Douglas. She focused on his smiling face, his sparkling eyes. She tried to stop thinking of him as food. He was her husband. She had to remember that.

A scream of pain filled the garage as she pulled at one of her arm restraints. The long chain rattled against itself as she bellowed with all her might. She could smell fear. Douglas had heard her, and he was terrified. The tiny place inside the monster that was still her willed him to stay away, begged him to lock the doors.

Another sharp tug and the chain flew away from the floor. She was a quarter of the way free. It took less than a half an hour to break out of the rest of her chains. Now she was free to pace the cage, rattling the close fit bars with all the strength her new body could give her.

"Rawr!!!!" She let out a sound that sent a chill through the neighborhood. Most people tried to convince themselves it was an alley cat or maybe two of them had gotten into a fight. Some people feared there were coyotes running around town and made sure their small dogs and cats were secured inside their houses. No one thought it was sweet Brenda Previn. Brenda, who had welcomed each of them to the neighborhood with a basket of fresh made muffins, or offered to watch their houses when they went on vacation. Brenda who's sweet husband used to play golf with their husbands before he left it all to go back to school. No, Brenda was the last thing on any of their minds.

Brenda tightened her clawed fingers around the bars and shook them once again. This time she heard something pop and the bars went loose in her hands. She snarled. Freedom at last.

The corridors of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital were much quieter than the streets of Brenda's close knit neighborhood. The tranquilizer House had given to Gerard seemed to be keeping the beast at bay. Neither Chase nor Wilson suspected they were babysitting a monster.

A knock at the door sent both men shooting out of their seats. They'd both fallen asleep. Chase looked accusingly at Wilson who shot the accusation right back at him.

"Coming." Chase got up and went to the door. It was Cameron and Foreman. He'd almost forgotten they were going to be there. "Great. I'm exhausted." Chase hurried out of the room without another word.

"Anything to report?" Foreman felt like a child playing army prison guard. He felt like an idiot.

"Nope. All quiet on the Gerard front." Wilson mused. He got no reaction so he left.

"How do you want to do this?" Cameron looked at Foreman who had locked the door behind his co-workers.

"Do what?"

"This." She pointed toward Gerard. "Stay awake, keep watch, whatever you want to call it."

"We sit and we stay awake."

"We could play a game?" She looked hopeful, like a child.

"You're kidding right?" Foreman was not in the mood to placate her.

"I just thought..."

"I'm going to read a book. You do what you want." Foreman sat down and opened a very large book.

Cameron sat down and looked around the room. She flipped through the pile of magazines, saw the obviously well read copy of Playboy and turned away in disgust. "I just don't get it," she said to no one.

Foreman sighed and tried to keep reading.

"What do guys find so fascinating with the female body?" She wasn't one to give up just because she was being ignored.

"That game isn't going to work on me," Foreman warned. He'd seen her try to seduce Chase with her sex talk, but he wasn't so easily led.

"I mean, we are all born naked. It's not a big deal. People are naked all the time." She went on.

"Not listening." Foreman pulled his book higher up in front of his face hoping it would stop her talking.

"If I took all my clothes off right here, right now, would that turn you on?" She voice was so clinical that Foreman thought nothing could turn him on right now.

"Go ahead." He shrugged. Might as well get a look if she's offering.

"Foreman!" She blushed furiously. He'd called her bluff.

She sat down and folded her arms. She was pouting. Foreman turned a page in his book loudly.

Gerard stirred restlessly on the bed. Both doctors looked up.

"That's not supposed to happen." Cameron alarmed.

"No shit." Foreman got up and put his book down. Gerard was supposed to be in a deep coma. He shouldn't be tossing and turning.

"We need to check his vitals." Cameron pulled down the sheet and let out a sharp exclamation. Gerard was tied down to the bed. "What is going on?"

"I'm calling House." Foreman picked up the phone and began to dial House's number, but the phone fell from his hand as he stood, staring gap mouthed at Gerard.

The boy's body was contorting and twisting. It reminded him of Frank Fratelli. Suddenly the boy let out a howl. It wasn't a human cry of pain. It was a howl, like a wolf baying at the moon.

Foreman felt Cameron's hand clutch his forearm. She was squeezing it tightly.

"Get the tranquilizer." Foreman pulled her hand off his arm and gave her a nudge toward the door.

Cameron rushed out of the room and came back with the needle, Wilson and Chase. They had heard the howling and rushed back to the room.

"Here." Cameron handed Wilson the needle.

"I..." he looked at the bloodless faces of the others and realized he had to do it. He approached Gerard cautiously. When Gerard lashed out, trying to break free of his restraints, Wilson and the others all jumped back.

"Go on," Cameron prodded. She gave Wilson a slight push in the right direction.

"I'm going." Wilson said, not moving.

Chase quickly assessed the situation. He grabbed the needle and rushed at the boy. He plunged the needle into Gerard's neck and sprang back with the others. "There. It's done."

"We need to call House."


	25. Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: PATROL 

House rang Cuddy's doorbell at exactly seven o'clock. He heard scuffling inside and tried to peek through the window. She'd drawn the shades. "Can I help you?" She was standing in the doorway watching him.

"Why are the curtains drawn?" House straightened up and followed her inside.

"I wanted them that way." She answered not really answering at all.

"Hi House." Harry Dresden popped his head out from behind the sofa and waved.

"Dresden," House spat unpleasantly.

"I'm here too," Bob said walking through the wall that led to the kitchen.

"Right." House braced himself for a rough evening. He cornered Cuddy for a private chat. "You didn't tell me HE was going to be here."

"Of course he's going to be here. He knows a lot more about what's going on than you do." Cuddy pushed her way past House.

"Where's his girlfriend?" House looked around hopefully.

"She's not my girlfriend." Harry's hearing was better than House had intended. He glared up at the conspiring duo. "And she's back at the hotel sleeping."

"Then you're not staying here?" House perked up.

"Would it bother you if I did?" Harry looked from House to Cuddy then back again. There was something going on there, he just knew it.

House finally saw what Harry was doing. He was sitting on the floor, surrounded by strange symbols he'd laid out in salt or baking soda or something. "Oh, this ought to be interesting." House picked a small throw pillow off the couch and took its place. He propped the pillow on his lap and leaned over it, to get a better look at whatever Harry was up to.

"Does he have to be here?" Bob drolled impatiently.

"Yes Bob." Cuddy snapped a little harder than she'd meant to. "We need all the bodies we can get."

Bob looked House up and down. "Couldn't you find slightly more ABLE bodies?"

"Bob!" Cuddy warned, holding House back with one arm while glaring at Bob. "Let's all just play nice, okay?"

"Okay by me." House snotted, knowing he'd won that round.

"Fine." Bob mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his back on the scruffy doctor.

"Can you all be quiet now. I'm trying to concentrate." Harry was sitting on the floor, staring down at some sort of rune he'd drawn. "It's not right."

Bob walked over and took a look. "You need to draw a line through it. Honestly Harry, did you ever pay attention in our lessons?"

"Yeah." Harry sounded like a scolded child. He looked like one two, cross legged on the floor.

"Look," Cuddy stood up. "You two can handle this, right?" She turned from Bob to Harry.

"Why?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"It's the full moon Harry." Cuddy thought about her head nurse and how peculiar she'd been acting lately. "I think I should patrol."

"What are you going to do with him?" Bob made a face toward House.

"I'm going with her." He'd seen enough episodes of Buffy to know what she meant, and he was itching to get in on the action.

"No you're not House." Cuddy corrected.

"Yes I am."

Harry rose from the floor and met House's eyes. He quickly looked away. They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Well, for wizards, that was literal. If a wizard looked you in the eye for more than a second, they would know exactly the type of person you are, and vice versa. Sometimes it was a bonding, enlightening experience, sometimes it was like looking into the soul of the devil. Harry didn't like to soul gaze unannounced. It seemed rude.

"Lisa, you really shouldn't go out there alone." Harry would have loved to go himself. "I can't go, I have to stay and work on the spell." He looked at Bob who seemed ready to meet the challenge. "Bob wouldn't be any use to you out there."

Bob immediately protested. "I'd be more use than HIM!"

"At least I can pick things up." House demonstrated by picking up the pillow and throwing it though Bob.

"He is a thoroughly unlikable fellow," Bob informed them all.

"That may well be," Harry had a feeling it was the truth, "but he's all we've got." Harry took a copper bracelet off his wrist. "Here, wear this."

"It clashes with my outfit." House did not take the bracelet.

"It might well save your life." Harry continued to hold it out in front of him.

House silently, but gratefully took the bracelet and slapped it on his wrist. He had a feeling he was getting in way over his head. But he wasn't about to let Cuddy wonder the monster filled streets of Princeton alone.

"Don't do anything stupid," Cuddy warned him as they headed out the door. "In fact, don't do anything. Just watch my back and follow my orders."

"You're even bossier now then you are at work."

"You're in a lot more danger now than you are at work."

"Where are we going?" House hobbled along behind her. He had a sudden fear that he was going to be more of a hindrance than a help.

"Brenda Previn's house." Cuddy turned a corner cautiously. She saw a rustle in the bushes, but it turned out to be a raccoon foregoing for food.

"Why?" House was on high alert. Every whistle of the wind through the leaves sent him spinning around ready to attack.

"I think she might be a werewolf."

"Yeah, well, I've got one we should check on too." House spun around and attacked a Slow Children Playing sign with his cane.

"Smooth." Cuddy tried to suppress a laugh. She was loathe to admit it, but she was glad he was there. She hadn't done this in a long time, and couldn't imagine doing it alone.

The first sign of trouble occurred only blocks from Brenda's house. Cuddy felt her body tense up. A trio of young people, all dressed in black leather were standing around what looked to be another person, hunched on the ground.

"Hey!" Cuddy called out to the gang. She hoped she was right, that they were vampires and not a gang of teens with guns. When the turned she got her answer.

Three sets of glowing red eyes latched onto her. Three sets of razor sharp teeth were bared in her direction. She could hear House take a deep gulp behind her. "Only attack if they go after you," she whispered over her shoulder. She felt him nod his agreement.

The trio of vampires slowly turned away from the hunched figure which turned out to be a young woman in a torn waitress outfit. As soon as she was released from their circle she fled. House was about to call something out to her but Cuddy elbowed him in the stomach before he could speak. "Just stay quiet and don't do anything stupid."

With those final words, she sprung into action. One vampire was flying toward her. Cuddy spun quickly and let out a kick that sent him propelling back until he crashed onto a nearby car. The other two vampires came at her from the side, too quickly for House to see them or react.

Cuddy felt one crash against her side and felt he air leave her lungs.

House remembered his promise not to do anything, but they had both known he wouldn't keep it. He grabbed his cane in both hands like a sword and swung with all his upper body strength, which was considerable. He managed to send one of the vampires staggering back, but the other was able to pull the cane out of his hand and neatly cracked it in half. He tossed the cane to the ground and grabbed House in a choke hold.

Cuddy came up behind the vampire and tapped it on the shoulder. When the vampire turned to attack, she landed a solid punch across it's face. This gave House time to fall to the ground and scramble around.

The vampire swatted Cuddy across the sidewalk with ease. She let out a sharp cry as her body came down hard on the pavement.

House managed to find both pieces of his cane and was pleased to see that they each now sported a nice jagged edge. He gripped each end in each hand and prepared for battle.

Cuddy had managed to get half way up and got a boot in the face for her efforts. House saw blood fly threw the light of the street lamp. He felt anger rushing through his body. Ignoring the pain in his leg, he limped his way toward the vampire in a half run.

"House, no!" Cuddy protested, seeing what was coming.

"If you're hungry, come get me. Look, I'm gimpy. Easy prey." House chided the vampires, trying to call them off Cuddy.

Suddenly they were all on top of him. He was now in the position that poor waitress had been in only moments before. The vampires, all three young men, were toying with him. Kicking him viciously in turns.

House curled up in a ball. He'd lost his weapon and all he had left was his wit, but he'd realized quickly that these vampires were not the fun witty ones he'd seen on Buffy. These were violent, silent killers who didn't want witty repartee. All they wanted was to torture him for a little while before sinking their teeth...

House felt a breeze on his neck. He'd been expecting teeth, but the cool air sent an involuntary chill over his body. He looked up to see one less vampire than there was before. The two remaining were stalking after Cuddy. House sat on the ground and for just a moment thought about calling after them. Then he rubbed one of the many spots where he'd been kicked and decided to actually listen to her for a change and stay quietly in his spot.

He watched as Cuddy led the vampires a few yards away. She ran faster than he could have. They were faster. It didn't take long for them to come down on her. House thought he heard her scream, but it must have just been a summoning of power, because in seconds the two vampires both went flying through the air. One was immediately impaled on a fence post. The other recovered quickly from his fall and came charging at Cuddy.

Cuddy looked around frantically. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a piece of the cane House had dropped. It was just out of her reach. She looked at the vampire, then glanced back at the cane. She heard House call out her name in the distance, but she remained focused on what she had to do.

The vampire was just about to grab her when Cuddy dropped to the ground and rolled across the ground. She grabbed the cane with one hand and sprung to her feet with more ease than she'd expected. It felt like slow motion as the vampire's head craned around to find her, then the monster began charging toward her.

Cuddy tightened her grip on the cane she held behind her back. The blood pounded in her ears. She could feel the monsters breath as it closed in on her. Then, with one swift, elegant move, she swung the cane out in front of her and straight through the heart of the vampire.

House watched as, in a puff of smoke, the creature vanished.

"What the hell?" House struggled to his feet with a little unwelcome help from Cuddy.

"Yeah," was all Cuddy could say in response.

"They don't talk like on the show." House was disappointed.

"No, they don't." Cuddy wiped off her jeans and straightened her hair. She looked over at House. He was a mess. Deep bruises were beginning to form across his face and, she imagined, much of the rest of his body. "I told you to stay out of it."

"You tell me a lot of things." House smiled slyly. He felt invigorated now that the battle was over and he'd survived. "What made you think I would start listening now?"

"I always have hope, House." She put her arm around his waist and helped him walk to a nearby bench. "You're in no condition to go on." Cuddy pulled out her cell phone and began to dial.

"Who are you calling?" House tried to grab it from her, but she pulled away quickly.

"Wilson. He can take you to the hospital and fix you up." She listened to the long ring.

"I don't need to be fixed up!" House protested.

"I don't care if you need it or not." She heard a voice on the other end. "Wilson?"


	26. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: THE OTHER END OF THE LINE**

"Wilson?"

"Cuddy?" Wilson replied. "I've been trying to reach House. Do you know where he is?"

"Yes, and I need you to come get him." Cuddy was still breathing heavily. It gave Wilson the wrong idea.

"What have you two been doing?" He smiled at himself. Speculating on House's sex life was a welcome distraction to what was going on with Gerard.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Can you pick him up? We're at the corner of Washington and North Main."

"Sure, I'll be right there. But where are you?" Wilson was pretty sure there was nothing at the corner of Washington and North Main. Well, nothing that would be open at this hour of night.

"He's on a bench. I'll wait with him, but you've got to hurry." There was urgency in her voice that frightened him.

"Uh, Cuddy, there's something you should know." 

"I think I already do. Hurry!" She hung up.

Wilson looked at Chase, Foreman and Cameron. They all looked so young. He felt guilty leaving them to deal with this alone. "I, uh, have to run out for a minute. I'll be right back. Call me if anything changes." He looked at Gerard who was, at the moment, peacefully sleeping. The tranquilizer had taken effect. But there was something wrong with the young man, something about him that wasn't quite human.

"We can handle it," Foreman said rather snottily.

"I'll be right back." Wilson grabbed his coat.

"Where are you going?" Cameron just couldn't stop herself from asking, so she didn't bother trying.

"Pick up House." Wilson hurried out the door. Cuddy made it sound like there wasn't much time. Wilson had visions of a drunken House laying in a gutter, or wasted on bad drugs he'd got off some street dealer.

Wilson sped through the streets of Princeton until he came to the corner of Main and Washington. He saw House sitting on the bench alone. "Where's Cuddy?" He looked around.

"She had to go." House looked off in the direction Cuddy had just vanished to. He looked back at his best friend, who was helping him get up and leading him to the car. A big smile crossed House's face. "You are never going to believe what we just did."

"Cuddy said the same thing." Wilson looked at House's bruises, at the blood dripping from his shoulder. He decided that his original idea of a late night booty call was far from the truth.

Wilson piled House into the car and sped back to the hospital. "Cuddy kicks ass!" House slurred wearily.

"Yeah, she's great." Maybe he was right. Maybe she just liked it rough. Wilson shook the thought off. No way she liked it THAT rough.

"No, I mean literally. She kicks ass. It's like, her calling." House was giddy with pain.

"Take your pills." Wilson grumbled.

House obeyed and popped several Vicodin in his mouth. It was his third handful since the attack. "It was just like Buffy. Well, the vampires weren't as cool, they didn't even speak, but other than that, it was awesome."

"What the hell are you talking about House?"

"Cuddy's the Vampire Slayer." House pronounced proudly.

"Yeah, sure she is." Wilson took his eyes off the road for a second, just to get a good look at his friend. Maybe House had banged his head severely. Maybe he was suffering from a concussion. That had to be it.

House gave Wilson a play by play of the evenings event. He left out no detail, though he did make himself slightly more heroic than reality. Wilson half listened as he drove the rest of the way to the hospital.

"Wait here." Wilson got out of the car and headed into the hospital to get House a wheelchair.

"No way." House pulled himself painfully out of the car and began to hobble toward the hospital. He cursed loudly as his leg gave out and he collapsed to the ground.

"House!" Wilson rushed over and helped his friend to his feet. He should have known House's pride would get the better of him. As he pulled House into the hospital he motioned for the night nurse Libby Tofrey to get a wheelchair. Against House's very verbal wishes, Wilson managed to get him into the chair and wheeled him into the clinic.

He shut the door on Exam Room 2 and looked down at his beaten friend. "Are you ready to tell me what really happened?" Wilson pulled up a chair and sat across from House, looking deep into his friends eyes. He liked to think he could tell when House was lying to him, though he was helplessly inept at it really.

"I told you, everything." House suddenly remembered something. "Where's Gerald?"

"Who?" It took Wilson a minute. It was very late and he was very tired. "You mean GERARD? You're patient?"

"Yeah, him." House didn't see what Wilson's problem was.

"We had to sedate him. He came out of the coma you put him in."

"What did you use?" House was intrigued, and scared shitless.

"Tranquilizer. Look, what's wrong with him? Your team seem to think you know what he has but you won't tell them."

"Because Foreman already guessed it, but doesn't believe it."

"He's not a werewolf House." Wilson refused to believe as well.

"Right, and Cuddy and I weren't attacked by three vampires." House's perception of the situation had changed too much for him to understand Wilson's disbelief.

"Exactly." Wilson threw up his hands in frustration. Sometimes talking to House was like getting a root canal.

"I need to see him." House plodded on with the conversation.

"You need to sit here and let me check you out. Some of these injuries look pretty serious." Wilson prodded House's shoulder and made him wince. "So..."

House was still on an adrenaline high from the fight and he pushed Wilson out of his way. He wheeled himself down the hall quickly. Wilson, after regaining his bearings, hurried after him.

"Why did you sedate him?" House shouted as he wheeled himself into Gerard's room, nearly barreling into the Ducklings.

"He was having fits." Foreman announced, unfazed by House's sudden appearance.

"It looked like seizures," Cameron added, more fazed, and stumbling to say something. Chase just stood silently and waited.

"It wasn't seizures. He's trying to change." House pushed them out of his way and wheeled up to Gerard's bed.

"Change?" Chase finally spoke.

"Yes, did I stutter?" House checked the boy's pulse, which was racing, and opened each eye lid. The boy's eyes were no longer human. They had become solid black orbs. "How long has he been like this?" The boy was damp from cold sweet. As House examined him the boy began to twitch here and there.

"We gave him the tranquilizer about twenty minutes ago." Cameron informed him.

"About? ABOUT! I want an exact time." House knew he shouldn't have trusted them.

"It's been twenty seven minutes sir." Chase had checked the charted time. House frightened him when he was angry.

"It's already wearing off," House said more to himself than he inept team. "Get more."

"We can't!" Cameron blurted out. "The long term effects of constant tranquilization could be..."

"The short term effects are going to be much worse for all of us. Get me more sedatives."

Cameron scrambled out of the room before Chase, who really just wanted to escape, had a chance to volunteer.

Foreman approached the bed. "You can't expect us to go through with every crazy idea you have if you don't tell us what's going on."

"You need to get out of here." House looked around the room. "All of you." He looked at Wilson for a long time.

"I'm not leaving you here House." Wilson replied.

"I'm not going until you tell us what's going on." Foreman's reply was a bit more defiant.

Chase was already out the door.

"If you stay, you'll die." House informed Foreman.

"Communicable disease?" Foreman's mind was racing. "Which one?" He couldn't place all the symptoms.

"The one where our patient rips out of his restraints and has you for dinner." House snapped.

"What?" Foreman was ready for a fight now.

"Just go. Get some sleep." Wilson gently led the younger doctor to the door. "I'll take care of this."

Foreman realized he was outnumbered and left. But not without slamming the door on his way.

"You think he'd be more grateful to me for trying to save his life," House grumbled when he'd left.

"Maybe if you would be honest about what's going on..."

"I TOLD you what's going on." House wanted to bang his head against the wall he was so frustrated with Wilson at the moment. "Of course I also told you to leave." He looked at his friend expectantly.

"Yeah, you did." Wilson didn't move.

Finally House sighed and turned his attention back to Gerard. "I am hoping the sedatives will prevent him from changing into a werewolf but I can't guarantee it will work, so you should go home, bolt lock all your doors and windows, kiss the present Mrs. Wilson goodnight and try to get some sleep."

"I'm not leaving House." Wilson sat down.

"Suit yourself."


	27. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: CONFRONTATION**

Douglas heard the sound of breaking glass in the back yard. He grabbed the baseball bat he'd placed beside the bed and got up. He heard Brenda's voice in his head, telling him to stay where he was. He knew she was worried about him, but he was worried about her too.

He opened the back door slowly. His eyes darted immediately to the garage. It looked quiet. He tiptoed across the lawn and slowly opened the garage door. "Brenda?" He called quietly into the darkness. He felt the claws before he saw her horrible face.

He screamed into the night. It was a sound that ripped through Cuddy. She was about to knock on their front door when she heard it. Without hesitating she tore open the gate to the backyard and rushed toward the garage and the sound of the scream.

Douglas was on the ground by the time she got there. He was pummeling his werewife viciously yet ineffectively with the bat. "Brenda!" He cried. It was unclear if he was crying because he thought the creature had gotten her, or because he feared the creature was her.

Cuddy strode confidently over to him and pulled the bat out of his hands. She began wailing it against Brenda's wolf like back. The beast cried out in pain.

Douglas managed to scuttle out from under the fight. He looked around the room for any signs of his wife, still unwilling to believe she was the one who attacked him. "Don't hurt her!" He cried out involuntarily.

"Is this Brenda?" Cuddy asked.

"I...I think so." Douglas couldn't believe it himself, but his wife was no where else to be found.

"Damn!" Cuddy hated hurting someone she considered a friend. Still, when Brenda came at her again, Cuddy had no problem punching her in the face.

"She...she warned me." Douglas babbled in the background.

"I think...you should go." Cuddy spoke breathlessly between kicks and punches. "You don't need to see her like this." She ducked as one of Brenda's massive paws came at her.

"She tried to stop it. She...this cage...it was her idea." Douglas was already thinking of ways to blame himself for this. "I didn't make it strong enough." 

"You...couldn't have." Cuddy thrust all her power into her foot as it plowed into Brenda's gut.

"Should I call the cops?" Douglas was pacing. Brenda stopped fighting and watched him, salivating.

"They can't do anything." Cuddy took advantage of the distraction to get herself a weapon. She grabbed a weedwacker from the wall. She was thrilled when she flipped the switch and found it was the cordless kind. She shoved it toward Brenda who quickly backed off.

"Are you...do you have to..." he couldn't say it.

Cuddy didn't want to hear it. "I will try not to..." she couldn't bring herself to say but. Instead she thrust the tool at Brenda's outstretched arm, cutting a big gash into it. The beast whimpered and pulled her arm back to nurse it.

Cuddy wasn't sure she would be able to hold Brenda off until sunrise. "Try talking to her. Use her name, try to connect with her."

"She's...she's still in there?" Douglas tried to pull himself together. He thought of his wife.

"I think so." Cuddy really wasn't sure how this worked, but she felt it was worth a shot.

"Brenda. Brenda, darling, it's me, Please, I love you." He had tears streaking his face. Don't you know who I am?"

Brenda only responded by concentrating her attack on her husband. He was meatier than Cuddy, and probably a lot easier to catch. With one, forceful thrust of her gashed arm, Brenda flung Cuddy out of her way and stormed toward Douglas. The last thing Cuddy heard was a scream. Then the concussion took over.

When Cuddy opened her eyes she saw blood, lots of blood. She knew what had happened. With great fear she got up and looked toward where she'd last seen Douglas. He was still there, laying in a bloody, lifeless heap. Brenda was gone.

"Crap!" Cuddy grabbed a pair of gardening sheers and headed off. She was never any good at tracking. That was more of a Harry things. She really wished he was with her right now.

The streets of Princeton were quiet. Sunrise wasn't far away. The moon was barely visible over the horizon. Where ever Brenda was, it wouldn't be long before she was herself again, and frightened and confused. Cuddy had to find her.

Cuddy tried to remember what Bob had taught her all those years ago, about werewolves. Where were they likely to go, to hide? Brenda would have gone somewhere she knows, somewhere she feels safe. There was only one place Cuddy could think of. The hospital.

House prepared another syringe.

"You can't just keep shooting him up all night." Wilson protested mildly.

"Why not?" House plunged the syringe into the boys neck.

"You..." Wilson realized it was pointless. "You really think he's a werewolf don't you?"

"Duh!"

A strangled growl came from the bed, causing both men to jump.

"Damn!" House tossed the syringe aside. "It's not working."

"So what's plan B?" Wilson got out of his seat and was backing toward the door.

"Uh, I was kind of counting on plan A working." House got up as well, but headed toward Gerard instead of away.

"House!" Wilson lunged in a panic. "What are you doing? Get away from him."

House was busy checking the boys vitals. He pushed Wilson aside. "Do you realize what an opportunity this is?" House asked excitedly.

"Yeah, an opportunity to die!" Wilson's voice cracked slightly.

House rolled his eyes. "I told you to go, so go."

Wilson headed for the door, stopped, turned and walked back to his best friend. As scared as he was, he couldn't leave his friend alone with a werewolf, even if he didn't believe in them.

Gerard's eyes popped open and razor sharp teeth glistened in the florescent lighting of the hospital room.

"Holy crap!" Wilson jumped what felt like ten feet into the air but couldn't have been because he didn't reach the ceiling.

House reached for his cane, but it wasn't there. "Shit!" He'd lost it in his battle with the vampires. "You wouldn't happen to have a gun on you would you?" He asked his friend.

"Uh, no, left it at home today." Wilson snarked. "House, we need to get out of here. Like now!" Wilson pulled on House's jacket but the taller man didn't move.

"And what? Let him kill everyone in the hospital?"

"Since when do you care about other people?" Wilson felt himself starting to panic. He had broken out in a cold sweat, and was getting dizzy.

"I don't. But I thought you did. Aren't you supposed to be my Jiminy Cricket?" House placed a hand on Wilson's arm. It seemed to calm him a little.

"I quit!" Wilson fell down in to his chair. House led him slightly toward it.

"You can't quit. You're an indentured servant. It's not like I've been paying you all these years."

"How can you joke..." Wilson's thought was interrupted by Gerard breaking free from one of his restraints. Wilson gulped loudly. "House," his shaky voice called out.

"Damn." House realized he was in over his head. He could try to reach Cuddy but god knows where she was. Then he remembered that wizard idiot was at her house. He picked up the phone and dialed quickly. It was a wrong number and he got chewed out by some old Greek woman. He had no idea what she'd called him, but assumed it wasn't good.

The next number was correct and he heard Harry's voice on the other end. "Werewolf." House managed to say quickly.

"Excuse me?" Harry replied.

"How do you stop a werewolf."

"You kind of don't." Harry responded. "Where's Lisa? She can handle it."

"She's somewhere else." House snapped.

"Is she all right?" Harry panicked.

"She's fine. I'm the one who's about to be eaten by a teenwolf." House felt his anger rising the more he heard Harry's relatively calm voice.

"Where are you? I'll be right there."

"I don't have time."

"Where are you?" Harry repeated slowly.

"Hospital." House responded equally slowly.

The line went dead.

"Well?" Wilson looked anxiously at his friend.

"The bastard hung up on me." House slammed down the phone.

Gerard struggled with his other restraint. Time was up.

Suddenly the door burst open. "That was qui..." House's words froze in his mouth. He was not looking into the annoyingly handsome face of Harry Dresden. He was looking at the blood soaked fangs of another werewolf. "Shit!"

The werewolf batted him out of the way and headed for the bed. Gerard pulled off the last of his restraints and snarled at the newcomer.

"What the hell is that?" Wilson asked as he crawled over toward House.

"I believe that might be Nurse Brenda." House deduced.

"What the..."

The two werewolves became entwined in battle. Wilson tapped House's shoulder and nodded his head toward the door. "Can you make it?" He asked.

"If it means not dying I can try." The pain in House's leg was worse, but he had more incentive to ignore it, so he did. The two doctors scuttled along the floor toward the door. They had avoided attracting the werewolves' attention. Freedom was only a few feet away.

They were stopped by a pair of very shapely legs clad in a pair of very tight jeans. They both followed the slight curve of the leg up to an even more shapely pair of hips. "You can browse later, get the hell out of the way," Cuddy snapped at them.

Wilson scrambled to his feet and pulled House up with him. "Wha..." House shoved his friend out the door to safety, leaving Cuddy and her Beretta to their business.

Several shots were heard, along with loud whimpers. Cuddy had clipped each werewolf in the gut, too low for a direct hit to the heart, but in a place she knew would stop them.

House opened the door cautiously. He looked at the two wolves, twitching on the ground. "Nice work." He nodded approvingly as he pulled the gun from her hands.

Wilson tended to the semi-shocked Cuddy while House went and checked the wolves. Both were bleeding profusely. Both snapped at him ineffectively. Neither were much of a threat at the moment.

"Now what?" Wilson whimpered.

"Now we wait." Cuddy informed him, a glass of water having returned her strength.

"Wait? For what?" Wilson didn't like this plan.

"For sunrise you idiot." House snapped.


	28. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: SUNRISE**

They waited. Sunrise wasn't long in coming and Wilson watched in amazement as the two hairy monsters slowly morphed back into forms he quickly recognized. One was a young man, dark hair, pale skin, twitching painfully on the ground. The other was the tall, stern body of Brenda Previn, the Hitlerlike ruler of the nurse's station.

House inspected the injuries. Cuddy had done a good job of missing any vital organs. Still, Gerard's injuries were extensive. There was a large, gaping hole where his throat should have been. As House watched him, the body stopped convulsing and lay completely motionless. "He's dead." House informed the room.

"Where's Foreman?" House looked around. He wanted Foreman to run some tests on Brenda, while she was still in that in between stage.

"You sent him home, remember?" Wilson spoke hollowly. He was just an oncologist; he wasn't trained for this kind of thing.

"Right." House looked up at Cuddy. She looked pale and on the verge of fainting. "You didn't kill him." He knew that would be important to her.

"Right," she nodded, not really registering his words. She had never wanted this. She'd run away from it years before. Now it was all coming back to her.

The door swung open and Harry hurried in, Murphy and Bob's trusty old skull in tow. "Is everyone alright?" He breathed heavily in the door. Murphy scanned the room with her gun before lowering it and sliding it back in it's holster.

"What happened?" She looked at the two bodies laying on the floor, then at the group of frazzled doctors scattered around the room.

Cuddy finally snapped back into the present. "We've got to get Brenda out of here. If she wakes up and sees...she knows what's happening to her. I don't want this boy to be the first thing she sees."

"She knows?" House looked up at Cuddy. "What did she say? What's it like?"

Wilson headed out into to find a gurney. When he returned he motioned Harry to help him move Brenda onto it. Cuddy had filled House in on the cage and the events at the Previn home while they were gone.

"Are you sure?" House seemed concerned about something.

"Yes House, I might not practice medicine regularly, but I can still tell when someone is dead."

"You're telling her." House was never a fan of bad news. Not so much because he didn't want to hurt people's feelings, but he really didn't like them blubbering all over him and trying to drag him into a hug or telling him their life story.

"Just go help her." Cuddy's eyes followed Brenda out the door. House obeyed and hobbled along after the gurney. He had given up on the wheelchair and shoved a few extra Vicodin down his throat to deal with the increased pain.

House ran Brenda through a series of tests with Wilson's help. He didn't call in the Ducklings like he normally would. He didn't have time for their questions and blank stares. He needed to get this done and quickly.

"How did this happen?" Wilson placed some diodes on her chest while House prepped one of the hospitals many high priced machines.

"That's what I want to find out." House checked that Wilson was done, then started up the machine.

"I still can't believe..."

"You think I can?" House was frustrated with the lack of a rational explanation. Everything in his life could be explained through some scientific reasoning, but this...this was beyond the world he was comfortable with. This challenged every belief he had, and he didn't like it.

"Those vampires, the ones you said attacked you, they were real, weren't they?" Wilson was finally putting it all together. He couldn't pretend it was all an elaborate prank anymore. House wouldn't have gone through this much effort and expense just to prank him.

"Ya think?" House gave Wilson an exaggerated duh face. Sometimes his friend could be painfully slow.

"What the hell is going on House?"

"I think I can answer that." It was a voice unfamiliar to Wilson. He turned to see Harry Dresden standing in the doorway. Cuddy was with him. He had his arm around her waist. Wilson glanced over at House who looked up, scowled and went back to what he was doing.

"By all means," Wilson motioned the tall stranger in.

"Have you ever heard of Hellento?" He noticed the blank stares. "Right, of course not." He shook the stupidity out of his head. "It's basically, sort of, well..."

"It's what you'd call Hell," another voice finished. It was a clear, strong voice with the hint of a posh accent. Wilson watched as the body that went with the voice materialized out of a big messenger bag on Harry's hip.

"What the hell!" Wilson stumbled back.

"That's Bob," House said with a hint of contempt.

"What's a Bob?" Wilson crashed into the table Brenda was laid out on and quickly steadied himself against it.

"Bob," the man who's name it was spat, "is a centuries old sorcerer who could, in his glory days, have killed you with a thought."

"Bob," Harry warned.

"Alas, now I am a ghost of my former self, and must obey the commands of this wreck of a wizard." He motioned his head toward Harry who just grinned helplessly. "And I have been ordered to inform you that you are all in deep shit." Bob folded his hands in front of him and waited for this to sink in.

There was a lot of stuttered mumbling, fidgeting, and Wilson nearly fainted, but things settled down fairly quickly and Bob continued. "A demon, or more precisely a pair of demons seem to have a price out on HIS head." Bob shoved an ominous finger in House's direction. "Every hound from hell is now after the bounty that has been placed on it."

"Why?" Cuddy knew it was a silly question. House had pissed off plenty of humans, what was to stop him from making enemies of a couple of demons as well.

"That I cannot say. It is very hard to get information out of Hellanto. It was only by shear brilliance that I managed to find out this much." Bob glowed proudly, but not literally as one might expect. "The demon are Eitak and Erohs. A nasty duo. If you ask me..."

"No one asked you Bob," Harry informed him.

Bob ignored him and went on. "You're best bet is to high tail it out of here and go into hiding." He glared at House.

"Yeah, well..." House looked hopefully at Cuddy. She was his guardian angel, she always had been.

"We're not going to run away Bob." Cuddy had found a new strength. No one, not even a pair of maniacal demons were going to threaten one of her doctors. "Fine another solution."

"Well, the only other solution is you fight them, lose and get horribly murdered." Bob wasn't a big Plan B kind of ghost.

"That's not acceptable." Cuddy answered.

"It's all I've got." Bob threw up his hands in defeat.

"Go find another solution Bob." Harry ordered. With one last look and an unspoken understanding, Bob vanished.


	29. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: BRENDA WAKES**

Brenda didn't wake until late the next afternoon. She looked haggard and tired even after her long rest. "What…" she looked around trying to remember what she could.

"Shhh." Doctor Cameron was sitting by her bed reading a book. She put the book down and jumped up when Brenda woke. "You should just try to relax."

"Relax?" Brenda's whole body ached with every breath she took. "How can I relax?" She tried to read Cameron's face. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

Cameron frowned. All she'd been told was that Brenda came to the hospital unconscious and to alert House as soon as she woke. "I'm going to go get House." Cameron headed for the door.

"Wait!" Brenda didn't want to be alone. "Is my husband here?" Brenda had a bad feeling that she didn't really want to know the answer to that question.

"I'm going to go get House." Cameron vanished out the door.

A few minutes later House walked in. "You're back."

Brenda looked at him. House was far from her favorite person. Why'd it have to be House? "Where's Douglas?"

"He's dead." And that was the very reason she hated Dr. House. Not only was he blunt to a fault, he seemed to take great pleasure in the pain the truth caused people.

"How?" Was all she could get out. She couldn't bring herself to ask if she'd done it.

"You'll have to ask Cuddy about that. She was there, not me."

"Dr. Cuddy?" Brenda hadn't expected that. She thought hard, trying to catch glimpses of the previous night. Now that he mentioned it, she had a vague recollection of Dr. Cuddy at her house. She thought harder and saw Douglas's body, bloody and beaten on the floor. She cried out and closed her eyes tight.

"You remember, don't you?" House asked a little too gleefully.

"Get out you bastard!" Brenda shrieked at him.

"How much do you remember?" House wanted to understand. If he understood he could help.

"Get out!" She screamed. Her scream echoed out into the hallway. It caught the attention of Dr. Cuddy who excused herself from a conversation with Detective Murphy and rushed into the room.

"House, what have you done?" She came around the bed and comforted her friend and employee.

"Make him go!" Brenda whimpered. She couldn't even look at House.

"House, leave...now!" At first he didn't budge, but the tone of Cuddy's voice told him she was dead serious.

"I'm sorry Brenda." Cuddy gave the nurse a hug. Brenda pushed her away.

"I killed him. I murdered my Douglas?" It was both a declaration of horror and a plea to tell her she was wrong. Cuddy couldn't.

"It isn't your fault Brenda." She tried to be helpful but she couldn't imagine what the other woman was going through.

Brenda pushed her away." It is my fault. You don't know. I killed him with my bare hands. How the hell am I supposed to live with that?"

"By knowing that it wasn't you, not really."

Brenda had a wild look in her eye. The beast hadn't completely gone from her mind. "I need you to put me down. You have to, before I kill anyone else."

Cuddy's eyes widened in horror. "You can't mean that, you don't mean that."

"I do, I do. You have to. I can't control this. I'm a danger to you, to my friends, to everyone." Brenda couldn't live with through this without Douglas. "I need to be stopped."

"There are other ways."

"Like what? Why haven't you already tried them if you know a way to stop this?" Brenda snapped.

"I don't know what they are, but I'm not giving up on you."

Brenda looked at her long time employer for a moment. Cuddy meant what she said. Brenda took Cuddy's hand in her own. "Lisa, I can't live with what I've done. I can't live knowing I will do it again. Please put me out of my misery, please?"

Cuddy's heart broke. She just couldn't give Brenda what she was asking for. "I'm sorry Brenda, I can't."

"Then I will do it without you." Brenda was every bit as stubborn as her boss, if not more. She realized it was wrong to ask a friend to commit murder, even if it was the right thing to do. She would have to take matters into her own hands.

"Brenda," Cuddy squeezed the other woman's hand. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid. Promise me you will let me try to find a cure first. Nothing is going to happen until the next full moon. Give me that time to try and save you, please?"

"And can you bring back the lives I've already taken?"

"No, but your death won't bring them back either. The best thing you can do to honor them, to honor Douglas, is to go on being a nurse. You have saved many lives in your career. That must count for something."

"It does." Brenda felt a tear rolling down her cheek. She hated crying in front of anyone, but it couldn't be helped. "I will wait, but you must promise, you must swear to me that if you can't cure this, then you will let me die."

"I promise." Cuddy choked on the words. She knew she could never keep that promise. She was going to have to work hard, and fast if she was going to save Brenda's life.


	30. Chapter 29

**CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: AN OLD FLAME**

House stormed into his best friends office. "You knew!" He was furious. "You KNEW!"

"Knew what?" Wilson looked up from his computer screen.

"Stacy." House could barely form full sentences. "She's back. You knew."

Wilson smiled nervously. "Yes, House, I knew. That night, the Monster Car..."

"You ditched me for HER? FOR HER? What the hell kind of friend are you?" House slammed has cane against the floor. He wanted to slam it against Wilson's head.

"We were friends, you know. You're not the only one who lost her."

"I didn't lose her," House corrected angrily.

"Oh right, it was your choice. I forgot." Wilson had thought, after all these years House might have gotten over it. "She needs your help."

"Yeah, everybody needs my help," House grumbled. "Can't. Have a patient."

"No you don't." Wilson knew House's schedule as well as his own.

"Might get one, real soon."

"His name is Mark Warner. He's suffering from loss of energy, depression, mood swings..."

"You know what that's called?" House snapped. "Living with Stacy! Tell him to move out and he'll be happy as a blue bird."

"Like you?" Wilson snorted in contept. House was anything but happy.

"I'm not talking to you." House turned his back.

"You'll be back." Wilson teased. House didn't respond. Wilson felt mildly nervous. "I'm the only friend you've got." Still nothing. Wilson went back to doing his work. House peeked over his shoulder before walking out the door.

Wilson hadn't put up much of a fight. That had ruined the day. House sulked down the hallway. Stacy was back, and she wanted something from him. Yeah, that was typical Stacy, don't admit you're wrong until you need something. Well, he wasn't going to fall for it this time. No matter how much she looked up at him with those big brown eyes, no matter how sweet her voice sounded with that small southern lilt that made everything sound just a little sweeter. Nope. He wasn't budging.

Did she really think she could waltz back in here and ask him to save the life of her husband? Was she really stupid enough to think he wouldn't just kill the guy? House smiled to himself. An idea was formulating in his head. He hurried back to his office and called her up. He'd found himself a patient.


	31. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER THIRTY: A NEW PATIENT**

As soon as the Ducklings heard the news they began researching the case. Foreman looked into possible genetic diseases; Chase began searching through transmittable diseases. Cameron began digging deeper into Stacy's past.

She'd heard the rumors running rampant through the hospital. As soon as word got out of who House's new patient was, the doctors and nurses who'd been around back then were full of stories about House's old girlfriend. Cameron couldn't absorb enough of it.

Stacy had been a lawyer with the hospital. She'd given up a lucrative job in constitutional law to work beside her boyfriend. Cameron found that terribly romantic. She tried to think of what she could give up to show House how much he meant to her.

Apparently things had gone bad after his Infarction. Cameron was finding it hard to get any information on that, though. Everyone had a different story. She looked up from her computer, the boys were bouncing diagnosis off one another, and being typically loud. She shook her head and left the room.

Mark's room was down the hall. She looked around. No one was watching, so she hurried down the hall and snuck in. Mark was sleeping, but a dark haired woman was sitting in a chair beside his bed reading a book. She turned to look at the door. "Hello." She smiled sweetly. "You must be one of House's kids."

"I'm...no...I'm Allison Cameron, uh, Dr. Cameron. I work for House." Cameron stumbled over her words. Stacy Warner had a very strong, and intimidating presence.

Stacy laughed sweetly. "That's what I meant." She put down her book and held out her hand. Cameron shook it nervously. "It's okay, I understand."

"Understand what?" Cameron couldn't shake off her nerves.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Uh..." Cameron was speechless.

"House. You like him." Stacy's smile broadened. "I know that look, believe me." She laughed again, self deprecatingly.

Cameron finally laughed. "Is it that obvious?" One of the nurse's must have said something, or maybe, maybe House had told her, maybe Stacy wanted House back and he said he couldn't, because he was falling for her. Cameron beamed.

"I know the signs." Stacy looked back at her husband, almost reminding herself he existed. She looked back at the young doctor. "Is he trying?"

"What?" That didn't quite make sense.

"House. Sorry. Is House really trying, to save my husband, or did I make a big mistake coming here?"

"Of course he's trying. House is the best doctor..."

"Yeah, I know the spiel. I just thought...well, maybe I read him wrong." Stacy took Mark's sleeping hand in hers. Maybe she had made a mistake.

"House is doing everything he can to save your husband. I don't see any reason why you would think otherwise."

"Of course you don't." Stacy got up. "Can you watch him for a few minutes? I want to run and freshen up."

"Of course." Cameron jumped at the chance to show how caring and supportive she was.

"Thanks." Stacy left. She turned down the hallway toward the bathroom, but stopped when she saw House sitting at his desk, tossing a large colored ball in the air. She opened the door without knocking and walked in. "Hard at work I see."

"Helps me think." House fumbled the ball nervously and righted himself in his seat.

"I remember." Stacy walked over and sat across from him. Her dark eyes penetrated him. "I remember a lot of things."

"Like how you ruined my life?" House snapped. Some scars never really healed.

"I saved your life House." They would never reach an agreement on that.

"Keep telling yourself that, but it will never be true."

"How's Mark?"

"I think you're better qualified to answer that, though I'm sure he's no where NEAR as good as I am." House smiled. He was not going to make this easy for her.

Stacy smiled and laughed flirtatiously, she couldn't help it when she was around him. "Well, I never really did a side by side comparison."

"I think you should." House started to unbutton his shirt. He had no intention of going through with it, he told himself, he just wanted to see how she'd react.

"I'm married." That wasn't a no.

"I'm crippled." He could have said a lot of things, but he knew that one would hurt the most.

Stacy glared at him. He was not going to make her feel guilty for the choice she'd made. She'd saved his life. It was just a pity he hadn't seen it that way.

"Let me know when you have any answers, about my husband." She could have just said Mark, but she didn't.

"Yeah." House looked down and started rummaging through a drawer as she left.

Two seconds after Stacy departed through the main door, Wilson crept in through the balcony door. "Well?" He asked anxiously.

"That's those big holes in the ground where, in rural areas, they still acquire their water for drinking and..."

"That's not what I meant." Wilson walked over and sat down.

House just thought of something. "I'm not talking to you." He folded his arms like a petulant child.

"Fine. Then just nod." Wilson knew House would drop this eventually. "Do you still have feelings for her?"

House shook his head no. Wilson just grinned.

"Does she still have feelings for you?"

House nodded his head. Wilson snickered.

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

House shook his head again.

"Oh, come on House!" Wilson lost it. "Did you see her? She looked good. A lot better than you. You still want her, I can see it in your eyes. She wants you. What's the problem?"

"She's married." House broke his vow of silence.

Wilson sighed. "Have you learned nothing from me?"

"I have learned how not to make a peanut butter sandwich, really, bananas? That's just gross. I've learned that if I want to get more chicks, I should have gone into Oncology. I learned how to get past the wolves on level eight."

"House! She's your one true love. You owe it to yourself, and her, both of you, to follow your heart."

House looked dumbfounded at his friend. "Do you even have a penis?"

"I'm not a girl! Just because I'm sensitive..."

"Sensitive? You just tried to turn me into a Harlequin romance novel."

Both men laughed.

House couldn't deny the seed Wilson had planted in his brain. She was the one who was married. If she saw nothing wrong with them getting back together, then why should he? But did she? Had he been reading her signs wrong, seeing what he wanted to see? Why had she come back?


	32. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: THE DAYS TO COME**

Cuddy walked into Brenda's room. It had been three days since the full moon, and Brenda's eyes were red rimmed and damp. She wasn't eating or sleeping. Cuddy made it a point to visit her as often as she could, and took her on as a patient, since House had become distracted by Stacy's badly timed arrival yesterday.

"Any news?" Brenda didn't sound hopeful, more like she just wanted something to say.

"Bob, um, a friend of mine found an ancient text that might have an answer. He's translating it now." Bob had spent the past few days pouring over ancient manuscripts about the very first werewolf attacks in India. He had disappeared this morning, saying he needed to consult with an old friend.

"Great." Brenda did not sound enthusiastic, nor did she sound doubtful, she just sounded empty.

"Brenda, I've asked Dr. Panofsky to stop by and talk to you. I'm worried." Dr. Panofsky was head of the psychiatric department.

"Fine," Brenda droned emotionlessly.

Cuddy headed to the door and called in the aging doctor. He was the quintessential shrink, with wild white grey hair; eyes perched on the end of his nose and a worn tweed jacket under his lab coat. Throw in a pipe and you'd have a Freudian nightmare.

"Hello Nurse Brenda," the old man who was surprisingly devoid of a German accent sat down in the chair Cuddy had just vacated. "I'm sure you know why I'm here?"

"Yes," Brenda said, not really looking at anything, but with her eyes pointed in his general vicinity.

"Perhaps I should go." Cuddy squeezed her friend's hand, nodded to the doctor, then headed out the door.

She nearly collided into Stacy who was walking by.

"On your way to see House?" Cuddy asked, a little snippy.

"Yes. I just came from Mark's room. House hasn't been in to examine him yet."

"House doesn't really examine patients. That's what he has his team for." Cuddy walked along side the other woman.

"He's damned well going to examine this one. I didn't come back into his life just so he could get his little minions to do his dirty work."

Cuddy tried not to laugh. "His little minions are highly trained doctors."

"I know." Stacy looked down for a moment and took a deep breath. "I'm so stressed out. Maybe we could go get a drink after work? Like old times? Two girls on the town."

"I really can't." Cuddy had to patrol tonight, and she wanted a clear head. Things had been getting worse since Vogler's arrival. She had to be constantly prepared.

"I understand. Maybe some other time." Stacy took the blow hard. She really needed someone to talk to, she really needed a friend.

"Why don't you ask Wilson? He's always looking for a reason to avoid going home."

"I've already cause him enough trouble." Wilson would be just as good a sounding board as Cuddy. Better even. He was House's best friend.

"Of course you could always ask Cameron out. She'd love to pick your brain about the great Dr. House." She smirked to herself as she imagined drinks between House's ex-love and his biggest fan..

"Maybe I will. That girl needs some guidance." Stacy headed toward the Diagnostics office, but Cuddy stopped her.

"How are things, with House? He's not being purposefully difficult is he?"

"Of course he is. He's House." Stacy disappeared into Wilson's office. Cuddy went the few feet further and ducked into House's.

"Do you have a minute?" She smiled at Foreman then nodded toward the door. He gave her a nasty look, as nasty as he dared give his bosses boss, then left the room.

"Just getting the test results on Mark Warner. He's my patient you know. The one YOU made me take." House pushed the paperwork aside. He really wasn't that interested anyway, or so he told himself.

"I didn't make you take him House." She ignored his doubtful humph. "I am going out tonight. I want you to check in on Brenda for me."

"Out? Like a date?" House's interest was peaked. He knew there was something going on between her and that Dresden guy. Or maybe it was her and Bob. He saw the way Bob looked at her. But then again, Bob was dead, and even Cuddy had her standards.

"Out like to kill things." She corrected. She picked up Mark's test results and started looking through them.

"Well, I'm coming. I can get Cameron or Chase to watch Brenda."

"No House. You barely survived the first time I let you come. I..."

"I'm coming. You would have died if not for my help." House didn't want to be stuck on babysitting duty when there were vampires that needed slaying. He wanted to do the cool stuff.

"House, Harry will be..."

"Safety in numbers."

"No House. I mean it." She studied the papers in her hand. "This makes no sense."

"I know." House grinned. As much as he wanted to just dismiss Mark Warner as a hypochondriac with high blood pressure, or an excuse for Stacy to get close to him again, there was something very wrong with the man, and it had no reasonable explanation.

"This is the kind of case you dream of." Cuddy watched him for signs of interest.

"Ah, it's a case." House shrugged.

"House, he's slowly dying from no rational cause."

"What, you think it's something more in your area of expertise?"

She took a minute to figure out what he meant. "I am not an expert House. Maybe we should get Harry to look at him, or better yet Bob."

"Right, have your dead sorcerer boyfriend come and consult on patients now. Great plan boss."

"He's not my boyfriend, and he IS an expert in that sort of thing. Unless it's just something you just can't figure out." She smiled and he had a compelling urge to punch her in the face. She'd caught him.

"Fine, bring in Dr. Bob. This could be entertaining, seeing as how he can't touch the patient or anything."

"You don't even meet half your patients." She snapped back. "I don't think it's going to be a problem."

"Fine, whatever." House called to her retreating form. Wait, she hadn't told him where to meet her tonight for patrol. Damn!


	33. Chapter 32

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO: TRYING AGAIN

House headed into the Diagnostics office. He wanted someone to torture, and that room was usually full of three very easy targets. At the moment there were four. "Stacy? Were you looking for me?"

"No." Stacy glanced over her shoulder, then turned back to Chase. "See, everything is always about him." The Ducklings laughed nervously.

"Can I talk to you?" House stared down the three young doctors before turning his gaze to the woman who had owned his heart for so long.

"Go ahead." She assumed it was about her husband.

"It's personal." House looked around the room. Each member of his team quickly looked away as his gaze fell on them.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"I didn't ask if you thought it was a good idea." House grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her seat. She really didn't put up a struggle as she followed him into his office.

"What?" She stood on one leg, hip cocked to the side, arms folded over her chest. It was not the most inviting stance.

"Over dinner, tonight."

"I can't." 

"It's important."

"I already made plans. Anything important you have to say can be said right here."

"No, it can't."

"Then it must not be that important." Stacy turned away.

"I love you." House blurted out his important news in the last way he had hoped.

"Oh Greg." Her body visibly softened. She dropped down into a chair and looked at him with soft brown eyes.

"That's all you have to say?" He was furious.

"You know I can't do this. I'm married now."

"Do you love him?"

"Of course I do. I married him didn't I?" She was getting angry.

"Oh like that means anything." House rolled his eyes.

"Clearly not to you!" She shot back.

"Hmph. Is that why you left? Because I wouldn't marry you?"

"I left because you treated me like an afterthought. When you weren't off playing with James you were here, hiding in your office, or off somewhere doing God knows what. I couldn't live like that anymore. I needed to be important to you and I wasn't. I was way down on your list of priorities, right under drinking yourself into an early grave."

"You were about Clinic Duty," House joked.

"Mark loves me. Mark puts me first. I owe it to him to do the same."

"But you don't, put him first." House smiled triumphantly. "Otherwise you wouldn't think of it as a debt you need to repay."

"Go to hell Greg." Stacy folded her arms huffily and turned away.

"I've been there for almost ten years Stacy." House tapped his cane on the floor pointedly. No reaction. He smiled. "You'd better run along to your husband. Wouldn't want him to think he wasn't number one on your list of priorities."

Stacy left in a huff. House watched her go, confident in the fact that she still loved him.


	34. Chapter 33

**CHAPTER THIRTY THREE**

Cuddy was pulling her hair back in a pony tail when the doorbell rang. It was Harry. She let him in then finished getting ready.

"Murphy want's to come along, is that alright?" Harry called through the bathroom door.

"Can she take care of herself?"

"She's a cop. It's in her blood."

"If you're willing to take responsibility for her..."

"She is quite capable of taking responsibility for herself." Harry quickly put a hand over Murphy's mouth to stop her talking. Cuddy hadn't known he snuck her in.

Cuddy came back out to the living room in tight black jeans, a tight black tee shirt, her hair pulled back and no make up. Harry felt his jaw drop. She looked even better now than she had in high school. "I...uh...we..."

Murphy snickered. "What Harry is so eloquently trying to say is we should carry these." Murphy handed Cuddy a walkie talkie. "If one of us runs into more than they can handle," she looked pointedly at Harry, "just call for backup."

"That's a great idea. Thank you Connie."

"It's cop instinct." Murphy checked her own walkie. "Make sure it's set on channel two. Good, now let's go kick a little ass." She was nearly bouncing with excitement.

"Not so fast there, killer." Harry grabbed her arm. "We need a plan." Both women looked at him, stunned. "Yes, I said plan. It's called learning from your past mistakes." Harry was notorious for running full speed ahead without stopping to think that what he's running toward could rip him from limb to limb. He'd been lucky up till now, but as he was getting older, he realized his luck wouldn't last forever.

"Our plan." Cuddy agreed. "You two follow me. Don't do anything stupid. Okay? Let's go." Cuddy wasn't necessarily enthusiastic, she just wanted to get this over with.

"It's just us then?" Murphy looked at the three of them. She was the youngest, and probably the strongest. Though both Cuddy and Harry were in good shape, they didn't have the years of training she had. They were both street fighters, and Cuddy hadn't been in action in a long time. The odds were against them.

"House wanted to come, but I think...oh crap." She had opened the door. Standing before them, large pointed stake in one hand, sword cane in the other, stood Dr. Gregory House, amateur vampire hunter. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been waiting for half an hour. Don't you think we're cutting it a bit close?" He had staked out her house early in the evening, in case she tried to slip away unnoticed.

"You're not coming." Cuddy pushed past him.

"You can't stop me." House snitted.

"Let him come. We need all the help we can get." Murphy was not yet familiar enough with House to know it was a bad idea.

"He'll probably just follow us and get himself into more trouble." Harry had had a girlfriend like House once. She needed to be in the middle of everything. She ended up a vampire because she thought she could defend herself against forces she hadn't even thought existed a few weeks earlier. "Then we'll have to save him."

"Right, except for the saving part." House corrected.

"Just let him come. At least we can keep an eye on him." Harry sighed.

Murphy's back went up. "If that's why you let me come Harry Dresden, I will inform you right here and now that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and do not need you to come to my rescue."

"Of course not." Harry turned to Cuddy and let out a little sigh of exasperation. She laughed.

Cuddy looked around her. A wizard who had questionable judgment at times, a cop who thought she was indestructible and a crippled doctor who's ego was bigger than his knowledge of what they were getting into. That was her team. She sighed. She'd had worse.


	35. Chapter 34

**CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR: ONE HELL OF A NIGHT**

The streets of Princeton seemed quiet, but it was that deceptive kind of quiet that had promised nothing good. Lisa Cuddy, hospital administrator, some might say babysitter, head nut in the asylum, or any other descriptive title that did not involve killing things with a large pointy stick was leading her rag tag band of defenders down a perfectly lovely tree lined street.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" Murphy would feel much better knowing what she was in for.

"We don't know, exactly," Harry had determined to stick close to her tonight. If anything happened to Murphy, he would never forgive himself.

"Things that go bump in the night," House helpfully added.

"Oh, great." Murphy moaned.

"Shhh!" Cuddy turned on them all and hissed.

That's when they heard it; a rustle of leaves, the crunching of a twig under a foot. Someone was behind them. The hair on the back of House's neck stood on end. Cuddy tightened the grip on her stake. Murphy wrapped her hand tightly around her gun. Harry was the only one to turn and see what it was.

"Crap!" Harry held up his shield bracelet quickly as a four legged lizard like creature lunged at them.

Murphy fired off a few rounds from her gun. "What the hell is that thing?" It cowered back as each bullet pierced it's hard, leather like skin.

"That'd be a dragon," Harry replied complacently.

"A dragon!" House stared in amazement.

"Yeah, but just a little one. Hardly a dragon at all, other than the fire breathing and eternal life stuff."

"Eternal life," Murphy mused. "So much for killing it."

"There is a way, one way." Harry looked pointedly at Cuddy.

"Yes Harry, I remember." She handed her stake to House and took the small silver knife Harry was holding out to her. "But you're going to have to let me out first."

Harry smiled. "House, Murphy, get behind me. Ready Lisa?" He put his hand on his wrist.

"Of course," Cuddy said unconvincingly. She turned the small knife over in her hand.

"She's going to attack it with THAT?" House didn't like the sound of this one bit.

"She'll be fine." Harry turned to the she in question, "on the count of three. One…two…three." In a flash the protective shield vanished, Cuddy ran out of the circle and the shield went back up. It took less time than a blink, and in that time Cuddy seemed to vanish.

"Where'd she go?" Murphy looked around nervously. House looked carefully, and finally caught a glint of silver reflected in a streetlamp. She had hidden behind a tree just behind the dragon.

It spun quickly around, searching for the slayer. Most demonic creatures had a sense of the power of the slayer. She let out an aura that told them she was dangerous. The dragon could feel it, but he couldn't tell where it was coming from.

Harry began making a large fuss, calling the dragon childish names and stomping his feet wildly. "Hey, flame breath, over here peanut brain." He nudged House in the arm and House joined him in the taunt. Murphy caught on and began making loud whistling sounds.

Cuddy waited while the small dragon shifted his attention onto her trio of obnoxious friends. She waited for the right moment then, in a sudden sprint that caught her friends off guard, she lunged at the dragon. She grasped one of it's three foot wings and climbed onto it's back. The dragon reared up on it's hind legs. Harry slowly moved forward, using all of his power to keep his shield intact.

The dragon blew out a billow of fire. House and Murphy jumped back as the flame crashed against the shield and sprayed out around them. Cuddy fought to maintain her balance on the beasts back. There was only one spot on a dragon that was vulnerable, she only had one chance to get this right.

The dragon twisted it's neck around and shot flame toward her. Cuddy pressed tightly against it's back just missing the deadly fire. She held the knife at the ready while Harry, House and Murphy tried once more to catch the beast's attention. The dragon shot another ray of flame, but it once again had no effect.

Cuddy inched closer to her goal. She was almost there. The dragon began to flap it's wings wildly, trying to throw her off.

"Hey, Torch?" House called out. He shoved Harry aside, causing the barrier to break, then ran toward the dragon.

"Get back here House!" Harry called, pulling up the shield. House had gone too far, the shield didn't protect him.

The dragon pulled back it's head, ready to let forth a deadly blast. That is exactly what Cuddy needed. She pulled back her arm, then plunged the knife deep into the soft spot on the creature's otherwise impenetrable neck.

A colossal roar filled the air. The beast wailed about before crashing to the ground. Cuddy landed under the bulk of it's weight and let out a cry of pain. In seconds House was at her side.

"You idiot!" She revived herself quickly and looked up into House's eyes. He was just about to give her mouth to mouth. She pushed him away. "You could have gotten yourself killed." 

"So could you!" House fired back.

Harry gave Cuddy a hand getting up. "You did good."

"Like she needs your approval," House spat.

"She saved your life House, the least you can do is say thank you," Harry returned.

"He saved mine as well. I think we're even." She smiled at House. He smiled back. In their own way they had just thanked one another.

"Where did this thing come from?" Murphy kicked the dragon's leg with her foot. She jumped when it moved slightly.

"Don't know." Harry looked at it, running his hands along it's scaly body. "This type of dragon, it's not powerful enough to cross over on it's own. Something sent it here."

"Cross over?" Murphy looked at him like he'd just told her he was Santa Claus. "From where, exactly?"

"Hellanto, exactly." Harry answered more than a little impatiently. "Look, I can explain it all to you later, but if things like this are wandering around Princeton, we'd better stay alert."

"We should split up." Murphy's cop senses were kicking into action. She didn't know about dragons, or this Hellanto place Harry kept bringing up, but she knew how to hunt and she knew how to find what didn't want to be found. "We don't know when or where these things will strike next. If we split up..."

"We won't be as strong," Harry protested.

"Connie's right," Cuddy said. "We need to cover more ground. If you take Murphy and I take House I think we'll be okay."

"Great. We'll have a race, see who can get their partner killed first." Harry was tired and irritable and kind of wanted Cuddy around to protect him.

"Harry, you know we have to do this. You go toward he park, House and I will go toward the hospital. We have our walkie talkies. Call if you run into something you can't handle."

"You too." Harry leaned toward her, and for a moment he thought she was leaning toward him, but House grabbed her arm and pulled her off toward the hospital and Murphy tapped him on the shoulder and pointed off toward the park.


	36. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE: A NIGHT OUT**

House and Cuddy walked side by side down the street, each jerking wildly at every little noise. After a few minutes of this, House grew restless.

"So, you used to do this when you were young?"

"It was a long time ago. I don't want to talk about it."

They fell silent again.

"But this is so cool. You're like Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"Yeah, House, just like that."

"The chosen one." House snorted. "I guess I misunderstood that whole Chosen People thing."

"This has nothing to do with my being Jewish."

"Was you mother a Chosen One too?"

"No."

"Who was it before you then? An aunt? Your grandma, oh I know, that sister of yours, the one that died when you were a kid."

"No House, but thanks for bring that up." She scowled.

"Oh, right, sorry." House shrugged. "So, you and Harry?"

"You are inquisitive tonight."

"Just trying to hold up my end of the conversation."

"What conversation? We're supposed to be hunting, not conversing."

"I thought you people called it patrolling."

"Patrolling, hunting, whatever. It's still not talking." She was growing impatient.

"So, what's he like in bed? Did he perform magic with his mighty wand?"

"House." She turned to face him, holding the stake toward his chin. "I am armed, and I am dangerous. So shut up!"

"I'll take that as a no then." House quickly removed himself from the business end of her stake and hurried on. "Did you hear something?"

"Other than you being your typically obnoxious self?"

"Yeah, other than that. Listen." House grabbed her arm and stopped.

"It sounds like someone crying," Cuddy whispered.

"Go check it out." House shoved her toward the sound.

"Oh, aren't you my big brave hero."

"You're the Slayer."

Cuddy rolled her eyes and headed down a small alley. Why did it always have to be a small alley? Why couldn't the mysterious sounds be coming from a big well lit parking lot?

The crying grew louder with each step. Cuddy felt a hand fall on her shoulder. She knew it was House, but she grabbed the hand and twisted it around his back anyway. "Don't do that to me again!"

"Right, got it. Uh, let go?" His voice grew high as the pain shot through his arm.

"Oh, sorry." She'd forgotten how strong she was.

"Don't come any closer." A petrified voice called out from the darkness. "I've...I've got a gun."

"We're here to help you," Cuddy held up her hands. Instinct was telling her she wasn't in danger.

"Stay away!"

House grabbed Cuddy's arm. "Maybe we should just go."

"Oh grow some balls." Cuddy moved forward. "Were you attacked?"

"How...how'd you know?"

"I need to know what attacked you, which way did it go?"

"I...I think it was...a vampire?" The voice rose an octave. "It went...it flew away."

"And now it's back." A voice oozed seductively behind them.

"I was hoping you'd say that." Cuddy smiled and turned around slowly.

House stared at the man. This vampire was quite different than that gang they'd run into before. Those had been speechless, half human monsters. This was a tall elegantly dressed man with a charming smile.

"Little Lisa is all grown up," the vampire glided effortlessly closer.

"Friend of yours?" House stepped slightly behind Cuddy.

"Donatien is no friend." Cuddy hissed between clenched teeth.

"Ah, mon chere, 'tis my deepest regret." Donatien bowed politely, but his eyes never left Cuddy's.

"What's going on Donatien?"

"I heard the Chosen One was back in business. I had to see for myself." He smiled smugly. "You have been sorely missed me amore."

"Give me on reason why I shouldn't drive this stake through what passes for your heart right now."

"Because, meine lieben, I can help you."

"Cut the crap Don, what do you know?" House was determined to cut this little flirtation right in the bud.

"Ah, your little friend, he is so...provincial."

"He's right, Donatien, cut the crap." Cuddy had dealt with Donatien many times in the past. He was a very ancient, and very powerful vampire. Too powerful for her to kill, though that had never stopped her from trying.

"Ah, mon ami, you sadden me. I had hoped to pick up our little game of cat and mouse."

"Just dust him already. He doesn't know anything." House felt a surge of hate flowing through his veins.

Cuddy looked into the vampires dark, dead eyes for a minute.

"She can't kill me, can you my sweet?" Donatien slid one long white finger under her chin. She jerked away quickly.

"Did you attack that girl in there?" Cuddy pointed back toward the alley.

"A vampire's got to eat," Donatien smiled disarmingly.

"Oh, for crying out loud, just kill the bastard!"

"House, go check on the girl." Cuddy ordered.

"I'm not going anywhere." There was no WAY he was leaving Cuddy with this seductive asshole. He'd seen the show, he knew the Slayer had a soft spot for hunky vampires.

"Go House. She could be dying."

"She's not." Donatien assured her. "She's going to be one of us."

Cuddy grabbed House's arm. "You turned her?"

"That I did. With you going around killing my people I needed to replenish the herd."

"Charming." House groaned.

Cuddy was weighing her options. She could try, once again, to kill the ancient imortal, but she knew she would, once again fail. She could let him go, but she didn't trust him not to kill again. There really was only one option, and it was the last thing she wanted to do. "Can she be saved?"

"Only by a very skilled wizard." Donatien smiled. He had no idea Harry Dresden was in town.

"Good." She took his arm. "You're coming with us. House, go get the girl."

"But..."

"Go, NOW. We don't have much time."

House scurried down the alley and after some shouting and the sounds of scuffle, he was dragging a young girl by the arm. She couldn't have been more than sixteen and had the unmistakable vacant expression of a nearly lost soul.

"The brat bit me!" House held out his hand. Cuddy went white and looked to Donatien.

"Don't look at me!" He tried to look horrified, but only ended up laughing. "He's fine. She's still too young to affect him." By young he meant as a vampire. Her human age was irrelevant to him.

"She's only a child." Cuddy looked at Donatien in disgust.

"Ah, so sweet the little children."

"You bastard!" She pulled her stake on him quickly, but not quickly enough. He was gone.

"Where the hell did he go?" House looked around.

"He'll be back." Cuddy helped House with the girl. She got on the walkie talkie and called Murphy to meet them at the hospital. She heard Harry asking a lot of questions in the background, but only told them to hurry.


	37. Chapter 36

**CHAPTER THIRTY SIX: HEED HIS WARNING**

House brought the young woman into an empty exam room while Cuddy passed outside, waiting to let Harry and Murphy in.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Harry nearly knocked her over when she let them in. She quickly locked the door behind them. It was late, and the hospital was officially closed.

"I have a girl here, she was bitten by a vampire, but I think there's still time to save her."

"I don't know," Harry sounded doubtful.

"Donatien said there was still time, that a wizard could save her."

"Donatien?" Harry didn't know the name. Cuddy had never really told him about her run ins with the dangerous man. She knew Harry, he would have worried too much.

"Long story..."

"Vampire boyfriend," House blurted out.

"Why do you assume every man I know was an old boyfriend?"

"Because, well, look at you! What man who knows you isn't going to try to get in your pants?"

"Oh, that's charming."

"Can you two focus?" Harry called out. "Where is she?"

"Follow me." House led them all to the exam room. He'd bandaged the girls neck and fixed up the few scrapes and bruises she had. "Names Lily. She's pretty bad."

"Hi Lily. I'm Harry Dresden, I'm here to help you."

"Great," she said unenthusiastically.

Harry pulled out an old scull and placed it on the table. "Bob? Are you at home Bob? I need you." 

Suddenly a puff of gold smoke floated out of the skull and formed into the elegant image of the old sorcerer. "You never call just to chat. It's always Bob I need you, Bob do this, Bob do that."

"Bob!" Harry didn't have time for one of Bob's little rants.

"What?" Bob snapped.

"What do you know about curing vampirism?"

"First it's what do I know about curing werewolves, now it's what do I know about curing vampires. What's next? What do I know about curing ghosts? Well, if I knew anything about that I wouldn't be trapped in that damned scull. That's for sure." 

"Bob?"

"You can't cure vampires Harry. If you could, there wouldn't be any terrorizing the masses anymore."

"She was bitten less than an hour ago. Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Cuddy looked up at him with her big blue eyes.

"Oh, well you didn't say that Harry." Bob rolled his eyes verbally. "She's not actually a vampire yet. All you have to do is a basic resuscitation spell."

"Huh?" Harry felt he should probably know that one.

"Resusci...I'll walk you through it." Bob sighed and started listing off ingredients for a spell. Then he took Harry through the steps slowly.

Lily gladly gulped down the disgustingly thick concoction. Everyone stood around staring down at her. "Stop looking at me!" She pulled the covers over her head.

"Let's give her some space." Cuddy ushered everyone out of the room.

"Thank you Bob." Cuddy blew him a cheek kiss.

"I did all the work," Harry protested.

"Thank you Harry." Cuddy kissed his cheek.

"I'm the one who rescued the girl," House protested.

"Oh for Christ's sake." Cuddy gave him a shove. Harry laughed under his breath.

A scream came out of Lily's room and sent them all running in. "What happened?"

Donatien was leaning against one wall. "You cured her." He was pouting.

"Get out of my hospital!" Cuddy yelled.

"Make me." Donatien walked over to the girls bed. He ran a finger along her cheek. "I hope you understand it was nothing personal."

"Get away from me." Lily tried to burrow into her pillow.

"I will. If I can have a word with the Chosen One." He looked at Cuddy.

"Fine." She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hallway. "What the hell do you want?"

"Just to warn you."

"About what?" She was hesitant, but Donatien had given her useful information in the past.

"Someone close to you is in grave danger."

"You're going to be in grave danger if you don't tell me what's going on."

He laughed in amusement. "You would make a lovely vampire my darling."

"Not gonna happen, ever." She pulled away from him.

"Not even to save your beloved?"

She didn't answer. She couldn't. Who the hell was he talking about?

"No need to answer now. I have a feeling in time you will be able to make your decision." He bend down and kissed her hand.

"What is that supposed to mean?" It was a pointless question. He was gone.

House came out from the other room. "What did he want?"

Cuddy stood dumbfounded for a moment. "Nothing." She shook off the very bad feeling that was creeping into her head. "How is Lily?"

"Shaky, but human."

"Another successful night I suppose."

"You did good." House let her fall into his arms. She looked exhausted, and in desperate need of some kind of human contact. He held her for a while and thought she was crying, but didn't dare ask. If she was, she had earned it. If not, well, he didn't want her to yell at him again.


	38. Chapter 37

**CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN: DREAMING TIME**

House followed Cuddy back into Lily's room. "I gave her a sedative," House informed his boss.

"That's good." Cuddy looked down at the young girl. She looked so small and fragile laying there in the stark hospital room. Cuddy pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down.

"What are you doing?" House was wearily leaning against the door.

"I'm going to stay and keep an eye on her."

"You mean keep guard? You're afraid that vampire will come back, finish the job? Why the hell didn't you just kill him?"

"I can't House. I'm not strong enough." She felt herself crying. She was exhausted.

House pulled a chair up beside hers. He picked up the remote and sat down.

"You don't have to stay. Why don't you go home and get some sleep? You look like crap."

"You've had better days too." He felt her flippant remark sting just a little.

"Believe me, I know." She absentmindedly brushed her hand through her hair. "Go home."

"Can't." House flipped on the television. "Girls Next Door is just starting, and I don't want to miss it." It was just an excuse, but sadly, he did know that the horrible reality show based on Hugh Heffner's three girlfriends came on at this time every week.

"Great." Cuddy groaned. Nothing topped off a grueling day like watching three bleach blonde bimbos flopping around a crusty old man.

"Shhh." House started bobbing his head along to the theme song.

Cuddy zoned out. She felt sleep dragging her down in her seat. She must have drifted off because next thing she knew, she was in front of a huge mansion. It somehow reminded her of House's apartment, but bigger, and more lavish. She walked up to the door and rang the bell.

For some strange reason the butler who answered, was that Wilson? She squinted to make sure. Yes, it was. But why was he calling her Holly?

"Hugh is waiting for you." Wilson bowed her in.

"Hugh?" She looked at him. "And why are you calling me Holly?"

"I'm sorry." Wilson corrected himself. "Mr. Hefner is waiting for you Miss Holly."

"What the…" Cuddy caught a look in a mirror she swore hadn't been there a minute ago. She was…blonde? She looked down. Where the hell did those come from?

"Holly!" House walked out in a brocade robe and velvet slippers. Was he smoking…a pipe? Cuddy tried to shake off the image. It wouldn't go away.

"My name is not Holly." She was getting annoyed. "It's Lisa!"

"Okay, Lisa. I'll call you whatever you want. Just come give Daddy some sugar." House stretched out his arms.

"Are you kidding me?" She gave him a look of death.

Out of no where, Cameron, or a rather more endowed, and blonder version of Cameron came running out and threw her arms around House.

"Now that's more like it." House smiled and grabbed Cameron's ass. She giggled inanely.

"This is not right." Cuddy looked around her for the nearest exit.

"Pooh Bear," a female voice called from the top of the stairs, "I can't decide which dress to wear." A big breasted, blonde Stacy came prancing down the stairs holding two Fredrick's of Hollywood style mini dresses.

"No!" Cuddy shouted. "There is NO WAY Stacy would wear one of those!"

"Oh, so now Holly gets to tell us what to wear?" Stacy pouted at House Heffner.

"My.name.is.not.HOLLY!"

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." House came over and slid a hand around her waist.

"How can you get out of the wrong side of a round bed? It doesn't have sides?" Cameron asked bubbly.

Cuddy rolled her eyes. This had to be a nightmare. Confirmation came when she found herself suddenly in a bedroom, all red crushed velvet and black plushness.

House was laying on a round bed, the kind with no sides. His open robe revealed a toned chest and black, silk boxer shorts. Cuddy's eye instantly went for his thigh. The scar was gone.

"Oh, God help me." Cuddy tried to think clearly. What was this dream about? Was it just the result of a long night and House's bad taste in television? Or was it something more.

On either side of Porn Star House were Stacy Barbie and Cameron Barbie. Stacy's hand had slid beneath the soft silk shorts, while Cameron was busy teasing House's nipple with her tongue. Cuddy felt her stomach turn and gagged a little in her sleep.

"House!" She needed this to stop, and he seemed to be the only one who could do it. "HOUSE!" She was having trouble getting his attention.

Both women glared at her. Their smiles sent a chill down Cuddy's spine.

"He doesn't want you anymore," Cameron snapped.

"Now, now Kendra," Stacy chastised.

"Who the hell is Kendra?" Cuddy demanded. She just wanted to wake up. This was a nightmare.

"Stop fighting it Holly," Stacy cooed. Holding a hand out to her old friend.

"My.name.is.not.HOLLY!!!!!!" Cuddy screamed at the top of her lungs. It was loud enough to wake the dead, but not her.

Stacy and Cameron instantly reverted to their real appearances. Stacy was in a tailored suit, her hair perfectly groomed. Cameron was in one of her abysmal vests, her lab coat open to show it off. The boobs were gone, completely.

"What is going on here?" Cuddy turned to Stacy, her friend, her confidant. Stacy would tell her what was happening.

"Don't try to stop it Lisa. There's nothing you can do. He wants it this way." Stacy took one of Cuddy's hands. "Can't you see how happy he is?"

Cuddy looked down at House who was grinning inanely as Cameron did something Cuddy never wanted to see Cameron do again. Ever. Not on House or any other man for that matter.

"No. That's not what he wants." Cuddy knew this wasn't the way it was supposed to be. She and Wilson had tried to get House to accept Cameron, but that's not what he wanted. It couldn't be. He wanted Stacy back. But...

"Relax Lisa." Stacy was suddenly massaging Cuddy's shoulders. Cuddy felt her head growing heavy, her body weakening. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to drift away. She felt herself sliding down, down...

She crashed onto the floor and let out a sharp yelp.

"What?" House turned and looked at the real Lisa Cuddy sitting on the floor of Lily Addams hospital room. She was rubbing her bottom as she got up. "Who taught you how to sit?"

"I fell asleep House."

"Did you dream about me," he teased.

"As a matter of fact..." she tried to remember her dream, but the details were hazy. "I did."

"Hope it was a good one." House smiled, oblivious to any feelings of doom.

"I don't remember." Cuddy stared down at Lily silently, trying to pull up any details she could from that disturbing dream.


	39. Chapter 38

**CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT: UNLOCKING THE DREAM**

Lily was fine by the next morning. Cuddy put a spare blanket over the still sleeping House, then headed for her office. She called Harry at the hotel to check on him.

"How's the girl?" Harry asked, half asleep.

"She'll be fine thanks to you."

"No, Lisa, you're the one who saved her."

"We all did Harry." 

"I guess we make a good team." Harry felt himself smiling.

"I had a dream last night." Cuddy wasn't sure she could explain it, but Harry was the only one she thought would understand.

"Was I in it?" Why was everyone asking her that?

"No."

"You're supposed to say yes there."

"Even if it's a lie?"

"Yeah. You can't just crush a guys ego like that." Harry laughed. He didn't do that a lot.

"I think it was a warning."

"What?" Harry took a moment to process the suddenly serious tone of her voice.

"Last night Donatien warned me that someone was in danger, and last night I had a very strange dream about House."

"That figures." Harry couldn't mask his disappointment. "But we already know he's in danger. He's being hunted by..."

"Yes, I know all about that. I can't remember the dream Harry. I was hoping there was something you could do, some potion or spell to make me remember."

"Are you sure you want that?"

"Yes Harry!" She snapped. She was working on little sleep, lots of stress and an unhealthy dose of impending doom. "Can you help me?"

"Yeah, give me about two hours. I'll bring it to you."

"Thank you." She hung up the phone.


	40. Chapter 39

**CHAPTER THIRTY NINE: DORITOS VS CHEETOS**

**  
**

House woke up slowly. His back was killing him. His stomach growled. He looked beside him. Cuddy was gone. Lily was still sound asleep. House pried himself out of the chair and hobbled painfully down the hall.

He stood in front of the vending machine, torn between Doritos and Cheetos. Both were crunchy, both were cheesy, but Cheetos were more buttery melt in your mouthy, where as Doritos had more bite.

"Tough decision?" Stacy came up close behind him.

"Yeah. Cheetos or Doritos?"

"Cheetos," Stacy answered decisively. She laughed when House pressed the button for Doritos. "You haven't changed at all."

"Still lovable as always." He turned to face her, not backing away. They were practically touching. She didn't back away either. He smiled internally.

"Well, still House." She had to tilt her head up to look him in the eyes.

He had the painful urge to pull her into his arms and never let her go. But he was so tired.

"Why are you here?" she grabbed his arm and looked at his watch even though she had a Cartier on her own wrist.

"Patient."

"Not Mark. I just checked on him and he was fine."

"No. Not Mark. Believe it or not my world does not revolve around your husband." He stepped back. Both of them made a mental note of that.

"Mark says you still haven't gone to see him." Stacy took a step toward him, returning them to their original proximity.

"Nope. Been busy." House looked past her, down the hall. He was hoping that Wilson or Cuddy or even one of his team were rushing over to rescue him. He couldn't be this close to Stacy and not scoop her up in his arms. It just wasn't possible.

"With your other patient?" She didn't believe he had another patient. She felt he was avoiding her.

"Yes, actually." Wow, he wasn't even lying.

"What's this patients name?" She was oozing disbelief.

"Patient/doctor confidentiality. I can't tell you."

"Oh House, I'm disappointed. You're usually much more prepared than this."

"Huh?" House looked at her dumbfounded. He was too tired for this.

"You usually prepare your lies better than this."

"You're right, but it just so happens I'm not lying this time."

"You really have another patient?"

"Yep." He leaned back against the vending machine, quite happy in his honestly.

"You jerk!" She shoved him. "You tell me you don't have time for Mark and now you're taking on another patient. Are you just trying to kill him? Do you think I'll take you back?"

"Would you?"

"No you arse!" She shoved him hard then stormed down the hall.

House watched her go. She hadn't let her go. People who were happily married usually let themselves go. House smiled weakly. He slid down the vending machine, just for a moment, maybe a quick little nap. Just, it had been such a long night. He just needed a little rest.


	41. Chapter 40

**CHAPTER FORTY: PROBING CUDDY**

Harry showed up in Cuddy's office with a small duffle back strung across his chest.

"What's all that for?" She put down what she was doing and walked over to the couch.

"Some of the potion I can't put in until the last minute. Lie down and relax." He fluffed a pillow and stuck it on the end of the couch. As she made herself comfortable, a puff of golden smoke came wafting out of the bag. In a moment Bob was looking down at her.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Bob warned.

"We didn't ask you Bob." Harry went about putting the fresh ingredients in a green, sludge like mixture.

"Nothing good is waiting down that path." Bob turned his plea toward Cuddy.

"I have to know what I dreamt, Bob."

"This potion, it does more than that." Bob looked truly concerned.

"What do you mean?" Cuddy sat up. Bob's words were making her nervous. He was not, by nature, a cautious ghost.

"There's a simpler way, you know."

"No Bob." Harry snapped. "The potion is fine Lisa. It will dredge up more than just the dream, but..."

"What other way?" Cuddy ignored Harry's reasoning.

"I could, uh, pop in for a visit." Bob seemed to actually blush.

"Are you suggesting...you want to..."

"Forget it Bob." Harry didn't even want to hear it. He knew Bob's real motives.

"I promise, I'll only look for the dream, nothing more."

"You want to poke around in my subconscious?"

"He want's to riffle through your mind Lisa. Take the potion." It was done, and Harry held it out for her. Cuddy took it in her hand, but held it in her lap. She was still looking at Bob.

"What's it like? Am I going to know you're in there, what you're looking at?"

"Well, I don't actually know. Harry?" Bob turned to his friend and master.

"It's horrible. Drink the potion."

"It's better than drinking that sludge. Look at it!"

"What's going to happen if I drink the potion Bob?" She specifically overlooked Harry. She knew what he was like. He thought all women were weak and needed his protection. It was his biggest flaw and had always driven her crazy even if he had saved her life on more than one occasion.

"It will bring up every suppressed memory you've ever had. Anything bad that's ever happened to you, that you've pushed into the darkest recesses of your mind, all the things you felt it was best to forget will all come flooding into your head at once. You will feel all of it at once. It's not worth it Lisa. Truly." Bob looked at her with a pained expression. He wanted her to know he was trying to protect her.

"Harry?" Cuddy looked over at him.

"It's the only way, Lisa. It will be awful, but I'll be here with you. You won't be alone."

"And if Bob...does his thing?"

"It is a violation Lisa. Do you really want him rummaging around in your brain?"

"I really want to know what my dream means. Perhaps Bob can help interpret it."

"I will do my best." Bob looked at her hopefully.

"Then, come on in." Cuddy put the glass on potion on the table and leaned back on the couch. She closed her eyes tight, prepared for the worst.

Bob looked at Harry defiantly. Harry was about to make a final attempt to stop the madness, but Bob's hand had vanished into Cuddy's head. Then the rest of him disappeared.

Harry waited, holding Cuddy's hand as her eyes rolled around in their sockets. He knew what it felt like to have Bob poke around in your head. It wasn't pleasant,

A few minutes later Bob reappeared, standing as stolid as he usually did.

"Well?" Cuddy looked up at him expectantly.

"Oh, we're in big trouble." Bob said ominously, shaking his head slowly.

"Why? What did you see Bob?" Harry was growing impatient.

"Well, apparently Lisa sees House as some sort of stud."

"I do not!"

"Then what was with that girl giving him a hummer while you were talking to the other one?"

Cuddy cringed. "I don't remember." The memory of Cameron on her knees flashed through her head. Stacy was there too. And breasts. Lost of breasts.

"I would just like to say thank you, thank you from the bottom of my horny, haven't gotten any in over 500 years heart."

"What are you talking about Bob?" Harry hated when Bob started talking about sex, which he did much too often.

"That dream was practically an orgy."

Harry shot a look at Cuddy and she blushed. "It wasn't about sex," she protested.

"She's right, Harry." Bob tried hard to wipe the smile off his face. "Her friend House is in more trouble than we thought."

"What kind of trouble? What did it mean?"

"That woman, the stern one with the short dark hair..." 

"Stacy?"

"Is that her name? How well do you know her?"

"She and House lived together for five years. She worked here at the hospital. I know her well."

"Are you sure that's really her? Absolutely sure?"

"Yes. Bob, what are you saying?"

"House has some questionable taste in women my dear."

"Enough Bob, just say it!" Harry was getting annoyed.

"Harry, you remember that woman, the buxom blonde who nearly removed your soul?"

"The succubus?"

"That's the one." Bob waited for it to sink in.

"You're not suggesting Stacy's a succubus Bob. I've known her for years. I think I would have noticed if she went around sucking out men's souls."

"Would you?" Bob asked pointedly. Harry hadn't realized the woman he was dating was slowly removing his soul until it was nearly too late. Bob found him in a coma on the floor. As much as he would love to see House's soul sucked out , it might make him a nicer person actually, he now knew, after a rummage through Cuddy's thoughts that she would be devastated. "Keep an eye out for the signs."

"Which are?"

"Your special friend will..."

"He's not my special friend!"

"Oh, my mistake." Bob smiled that knowing smile of his. "House will be tired a lot, unable to focus, he might seem lazy..."

"So far you've described him for the past ten years. Are you suggesting she's been at this for ten years? I know Stacy, she doesn't work that slowly."

Bob thought about this. "You say they lived together. When was that?"

"About..." realization flashed across Cuddy's face. "About ten years ago. Do you really think..."

"She's come back to finish what she started? Yes. I do. The question is, why didn't she succeed last time? Five years of living together would have given her plenty of time to get the job done."

No one had an answer.


	42. Chapter 41

**CHAPTER** **FORTY ONE**

"House, wake up." Wilson kicked House's foot with his toe. "You in there?" He bent over and pried open one of House's eyelids. House swatted his hand away with a slap.

"Is this how you get chicks? You drug them then have your dirty, twisted way with them?" House started getting up, pushing off Wilson's help. "You are a sad, desperate bastard."

"This is not...I didn't do anything to you?" Wilson moved in to help his friend but backed off under House's glare. "I found you passed out on the floor. What happened?"

"Don't you think if I knew what happened I wouldn't have blamed the first person to happen by." House quickly checked his pockets; wallet, Gameboy, pills, all still there.

"Fair point. So you don't remember anything?" Wilson walked carefully beside House as they headed for their offices.

"Nope. I was getting something to eat. Stacy came by. Then lights out."

"What did you say to her?" Wilson put the wrong two and two together.

"I didn't say anything! She didn't bash me over the head if that's what you're thinking."

"No." Wilson laughed nervously. "Of course not."

"Well good."

"But something happened House. It's not like you to faint."

"I didn't faint!" House protested loudly. "I took a nap."

"On the floor, in front of the vending machines?"

"Yes. Sorry the locale isn't up to your standards, but I was hungry, then I thought I'd take a nap." House hid his own concern under his usual blustery manner. Wilson was right, though. It wasn't like House to fall asleep in random corridors. Well, other than that bout of narcolepsy he had back in '99. But that passed shortly after he got his apartment back. All he needed was some peace and quiet.

"It's Stacy, she's got you all worked up again." Wilson held open the door to his office and House walked past him, pushing him slightly in protest.

"She does not." House lied blatantly.

"Right. You're always this high strung." Wilson frowned. House was always this high strung. Actually, he was usually more high strung.

"Yeah, so?" House sat down. His bones ached. He was clearly too old for Slaying.

"What's going on House?"

"I was out all night with Cuddy..."

"Whoa! Really?" Wilson's fevered imagination was on overdrive.

"Slaying, stupid, not..._slaying_." He put a sexy emphasis on the second slaying.

"Oh, not this again." Wilson groaned.

"You were there Wilson, you saw that kid. You can't pretend this doesn't exist."

"I can, and that's what I'm going to do." Wilson was the metaphorical equivalent of a kid sticking his fingers in his ears and singing loud nonsense.

"You're an idiot."

"So you've said. It doesn't change the fact that this stuff just can't be happening. It can't. It goes against everything...just...everything."

"God. God goes against everything, yet you still believe in him. If there is a God then there must be a Devil. No? You can't have good without evil, though I will leave out which one I think is..."

"House!" Wilson hated getting into religion with his friend. No good ever came of it. "Does this mean that if you believe in what's going on then there must be a God? Because if there's evil, there must be good?"

"We're the good Wilson. We're the good, the vampires and werewolves and demons are the bad."

"Oh, so you're right about everything and I'm wrong about everything."

"Now you've got it." House sighed. He was exhausted. Usually his conversations with Wilson invigorated him. "I was out all night, we met another vampire and..."

"You met another vampire?" Wilson rolled his eyes. "Was he a good vampire of a bad one?"

"Why he wasn't a vampire at all, vampires are old and ugly..." the two friends laughed.

"Seriously House. What's going on?"

"I told you. I was out all night, Cuddy and I ran into this vampire called Donatello or something. Something pretentious and French..."

"That's a bit redundant, don't you think?"

"Well, yeah, but he did over do it a bit."

"Let me guess, you helped Cuddy slay him then ravaged her over his pile of dust."

"Uh, who's telling this story?" House glared at Wilson playfully. "Cuddy did NOT slay him, and he let us take his victim to the hospital."

"Victim?"

"Yes. Victim. Young girl. She was on the brink of changing, but Bob told us how to save her."

"Bob?"

"The sorcerer ghost Cuddy knows."

"Oh, of course." Wilson's head hurt.

"I've got to keep my eye on that Donatello guy. I don't trust him."

"You don't trust the pretentious French vampire." Wilson pondered that. "Good call."

"I think he's after Cuddy."

"Who wouldn't be?" Wilson smiled.

"Not like that!" House quickly changed his mind. "Well, maybe, I hadn't thought...anyway, she's in danger."

"And it's up to you to save her? Superdoc, right? Where's your cape?"

"It's up to US to save her, Boy Wilson." House grinned widely. This was going to be fun. With his sidekick at his side, there was nothing House couldn't do.

"Oh, great. Let me just call up the Commissioner on the bat shit crazy phone and..."

"You're going to have to go with her tonight. I'm too tired."

"Go with her where?"

"Patrolling. God, haven't you been following this conversation at all?"

"Yeah, I followed it right down the rabbit hole." Wilson sunk into his chair.

"Go with her tonight. Watch her back. And keep your eyes out for..."

"Pretentious French Guy. Got it."

"Don't let him near her, even if you have to throw down your life."

"She's more important to me than you?"

"She's more important than any of us. She's the Chosen One."

"Oh good lord." Wilson looked to the ceiling for help, but the Good Lord must have been out, because no help came.

"Great, so you'll do it." House smiled and got out of there before Wilson changed his mind.


	43. Chapter 42

**CHAPTER FORTY TWO**

"What are you doing here?" Stacy looked up from Mark's bed to see House standing in the door way.

"I am checking on your husband." House spat the distasteful word at her. Then bent over to poke at Mark. He wasn't doing much, but he thought he should give her a good show.

"You finally accepted that Mark is in my life now?"

"He's a patient. I'm treating him."

"He's my husband. You hate him."

"You give yourself way too much credit. I'm over you. I've been over you for years. He's just another patient and you're just another annoying loved one getting on my nerves." House turned to leave. He stopped when he felt Stacy's hand on his arm.

"Is he going to be okay?" She seemed genuinely concerned.

"He might be, if you'd tell me everything. But since you'd rather protect whatever secret you're protecting, he'll probably die."

"Damn you Greg!" She pushed him away. Then she grabbed his arm again. "I'm not keeping secrets. I promise you. I don't know what is wrong with him. If I did, I never would have come here, I never would have bothered you. I'm desperate. I need you're help. He is all I have now."

"You might want to start looking around then." House was unfazed by her plea.

"You are a bastard, you know that." She shoved him again.

"I've been told." House shrugged.

"Please help him." She grabbed House in a tight hug and pressed her crying eyes against his shoulder. "Please Greg. I can't loose him."

House hesitated before putting his arms around her. There was no going back once he did. All the feelings he had for her came rushing back, all the pain and hurt she'd caused him faded away.

Stacy felt it too. She felt a rage of conflicting thoughts attacking her mind. She knew what she had to do. She knew why she had to do it. She was compelled to do it. Her whole life she'd been compelled by the hunger, by the need. She tried to fight it, oh how she tried. But the burning lust inside of her couldn't be controlled. She'd only been able to suppress it now and then, and this was neither now nor then.

She leaned up, her hands sliding up his back. She pulled his head down toward hers and found it went willingly. They sunk deep into a kiss. It had all the spark of every kiss they'd ever shared. She felt his soul flooding into her, felt the explosion of knowledge and pain and fear. She wanted more. She needed more.

House's soul was strong. She felt its strength immediately. She wanted that strength. But she felt it pulling back. He was retreating. There was still too much doubt there, too much distrust. She would have to win his heart back completely before she could claim his soul.

She pulled away, breathless, her head spinning from the taste of his soul. He was weak and confused. She helped him into a chair. "We've still got it." She smiled and joked away any fear he might have felt.

"Wow," was all he could muster.

"I'm going to leave you to examine Mark. I have to go make a few calls." She was cool and collected on the outside. Underneath she was raging with desire. She knew that if anyone could see it, it would be House. She had to get away from him for now. It was too soon.

House watched her leave, then tried to get up. He felt dizzy and weak and fell back into the chair. He just needed a rest. A short little rest, and then he'd feel better. He was just tired, from being out all night, that was all. And the heady scent of her perfume, that had gotten into his brain and...he drifted off to sleep.

"Dr. House? Dr. House? Get up." He woke to a vigorous shake and looked up into the worried eyes of Allison Cameron. "What happened to you?"

"I was resting." House grouched. "I was just in the middle of a rather nice dream too, so, thanks."

"Sorry, but you were barely breathing. I thought you had passed out." She backed away anxiously.

"I don't pass out." House snapped, pulling himself out of the chair with every bit of strength he had.

"People do pass out, even you." She snapped back. "You're not infallible. You're human, just like the rest of us."

"You keep telling yourself that. Hopefully you'll believe it some day." House walked past her, hiding the pain and effort it was taking.

He headed off to find Foreman. Maybe the Neurologist could tell him what was going on with his head, because as much as he wanted to believe it was only fatigue from being up all night, in the back of his mind House knew something wasn't right.


	44. Chapter 43

**CHAPTER FORTY THREE**

Foreman dutifully ran the tests with a minimum of fuss. "I knew there was a reason I liked you," House told him as they waited for the results.

"You like me? I pity the poor people you don't like."

"Talk to Chase. He can tell you all about it."

"You like Chase. And Cameron. You wouldn't have anyone on your team that you didn't like. It's not in your character."

"What do you know about my character?"

"I know that you would never put up with someone you don't like, and I know that Cuddy let you hire whoever you wanted, so none of us were forced on you. We are the chosen ones."

House narrowed his eyes. "Chosen ones?" That was a strange turn of phrase to use.

"Yeah, chosen by you for three years of torture."

"Oh, you mean the lucky ones. Yes, you are."

"Results are ready." It had been a few hours since the test was taken, and the rush Foreman had put on them had worked. This sort of thing usually didn't come back for days.

"Well?" House looked eager. He was too tired to try to look disinterested.

"Everything seems normal. Correction, your brain seems to be functioning normally. You are not normal."

"Why thank you Foreman. That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." House beamed. He was worried though, if this wasn't in his brain, what the hell was wrong with him.


	45. Chapter 44

**CHAPTER FORTY FOUR**

"Where's House?"

"He couldn't make it. Too tired. He told me I should come patrolling with you instead."

"No. Absolutely not." Harry was sick of all these tag alongs. It was just another person he'd have to save when things got out of hand.

Cuddy turned to stare at Harry. "That is not your decision Harry." It shut him up. He knew she was one of the few humans who could kick his ass.

"He said Donatello is out to get you and I need to watch your back." Wilson still sounded disbelieving.

"Donatello?" Cuddy blinked a few times, trying to figure out how House's mind worked. "Oh, Donatien." She figured it out. He wasn't as complex as he thought he was. She smiled. "You don't have to worry about him.

"Still, if I don't go, House will never shut up about it."

"We'll just tell him you came." Cuddy really didn't think Wilson had the chops to go hunting.

"Yeah." Harry just didn't want to have to save him.

"What's going on?" Murphy emerged from the bathroom. She looked over at Wilson. "Who's he?"

"This is Dr. James Wilson. Wilson, this is Lt. Connie Murphy." Cuddy made the introductions.

"Hi." Wilson shook her hand nervously. She nearly crushed his delicate hand in hers. "That's quite a shake."

Murphy rolled her eyes. "What's he doing here?"

"He wants to come out with us tonight." Harry informed her.

"We're not going club hopping." Murphy informed Wilson patronizingly.

"I know that." Wilson snapped.

"Look," Cuddy got the rooms attention. "Harry and Murphy, why don't you get going. Wilson will come with me..."

"You don't need the distraction," Harry countered.

"I'm not a distraction," Wilson protested.

"Harry, this is my choice, not yours." It was her final word, spoken in her cool, calm administrative voice. No one said anything further.

Cuddy ran Wilson through some quick defense moves, told him to shut up and stay out of the way, then headed off.


	46. Chapter 45

**CHAPTER FORTY FIVE**

Foreman, Cameron and Chase all met on the corner of Maple and Pine. "Why are we stalking Cuddy and Wilson?" Chase handed out coffee he'd bought at Starbucks. He wasn't surprised that no one said thank you, though it would have been nice.

"House told us to." That was Cameron's reply to most everything these days.

"I can't wait for the day he tells you to jump off a cliff." Foreman shot. He was cranky and really not looking forward to hiding in bushes all night.

It was clear Cameron was about to protest loudly, so Chase grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth. She only struggled for a moment, then he let her go. "We're supposed to be undercover." He reminded them.

"Right." Cameron shook off her annoyance and tried to focus on the task at hand. "You don't think he's...jealous do you?" She sounded really worried about that.

"Could be." Chase verbally poked her with a stick. "Bet he doesn't like the idea of his bestie and his girl going out."

"She's not his girl!"

"She sure acts like it sometimes." Foreman joined in on taunting Cameron. She had clearly developed a crush on their boss, and both her colleagues found it nauseatingly cute at this stage.

"Shhh. There they are." Chase pointed toward the sidewalk. Cuddy and Wilson came into view. "Damn!" Chase admired Cuddy's tight jeans and tighter black turtleneck.

"Ugh!" Cameron was often disgusted by the baser instincts of men.

"If that were House walking around in tight jeans and a tight shirt you'd be all over him." Chase teased.

"Would not."

"Could you two shut up." Wilson was saying something and Foreman wanted to hear it. If they were stuck out there spying he at least wanted to try and get something out of it.

"But why didn't you kill him?" Wilson was asking for the third time.

"If you don't stop asking I'm going to kill you." Cuddy turned on him with the wooden stake in her hand.

"Isn't that a rather old fashioned..."

"It works." She jabbed it toward him. "Want to see?"

"No thank you." Wilson fell silent and walked a few paces behind Cuddy.

Foreman looked over at his fellow spies. "What the hell is she doing with that thing?"

"Hunting vampires you idiot." Chase replied in such a Houselike way that both his friends stared at him. "What?"

"Nothing." Foreman had accepted the whole werewolf thing, but he wasn't sure he was ready to go for vampires too.

"Why do you think all this is happening?" Cameron looked at the boys. "I mean, it's pretty unbelievable. Vampires and werewolves, and House said something about demons the other day. Demon! Can you believe it?"

"Don't have much choice." Chase turned back to watching Wilson and Cuddy just in time.

A tall, slender woman walked up to the patrolling duo. She looked at Cuddy and laughed. "You?"

"Is that a problem?" Cuddy replied.

"I just expected someone...younger." The woman laughed and sharp fangs were clearly visible in her mouth.

Wilson took a step back, clutching his gun like a life jacket. "Uh..."

"Yes Wilson. I know." Cuddy took a deep breath, then thrust the stake deep into the vampires chest. In a soft explosion of sound the vampire burst into a puff of ash and fell to the ground.

"Whoa!" Chase's mouth was hanging open as he echoed Wilson's word of exclamation.

"What?" Cameron and Foreman looked in the direction he was facing.

"You didn't see that?" Chase asked.

"See what?" They had been too busy arguing to see anything.

"She dusted her. Just like on the show."

"What show? Dusted who?"

Chase filled them in on what had happened. As Wilson and Cuddy vanished around the corner.

"We lost them." Cameron looked around after Chase finished his story. Wilson and Cuddy were nowhere to be seen.

"Good. We can go home now." Foreman stood up and headed off.

"Wait." Chase grabbed his arm. "Over there." He pointed to a shadowy figure walking around the corner. "I bet they went that way."

"Well, I'll leave that guy to find out. I'm going home." Foreman had had enough. "You coming."

Cameron got up and followed him. "Chase?"

"You two go. I'm going to see if I can find Cuddy and Wilson."


	47. Chapter 46

**CHAPTER FORTY SIX**

Chase followed the mysterious man who was following Wilson and Cuddy, but mostly he just followed his instincts. Soon he could hear them in the distance. He focused all his attention on trying to hear what they were saying, which was a really bad idea.

An arm closed around his torso and a hand shot to his mouth. His head was twisted quickly to the side, and if he wasn't much mistaken, someone was licking his neck. He tried to struggle, he tried to scream, but the man who had captured him was much too strong.

"Shhh," the man hissed in his ear, "this is your lucky day."

"Mmhafiahadjhg," Chase replied.

"Now now, there's no need for such language." The smooth, seductive voice cooed. "I'm not going to kill you...yet." Then the vampire sunk it's teeth into Chase's neck. "I'll let her decide your fate."

Chase felt his captor let go. He tried to run, but each direction he darted in, he was stopped by his swift captor. "Come now, don't you think she will do anything to save you?"

"Who the hell are you? And what are you talking about?" Chase had forgotten to scream. He was too scared.

"I am Donatien," the vampire bowed politely, "and all Lisa has to do to save you is agree to my terms."

"Lisa who?" Chase had regained enough of his senses to try to lie.

Donatien laughed. "You are a sweet boy." He slid one finger along Chase's cheek, then swept the flop of hair out of the boy's eyes. "Maybe I should just take you now."

"Go ahead!" Chase demanded with more bravery than he actually felt.

"Alas, I can't. I have bigger fish to catch."

"Fry, you moron. It's bigger fish to fry." Chase received a sharp slap across the face for his impertinence. The large ruby ring on Donatien's finger left a scratch along Chase's cheek. Donatien moved closer. He could smell the fresh, sweet blood beginning to trickle from the sweet young man.

Chase backed away. He felt a shiver of total ice run down his spine as Donatien took his face in his hands. He opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out as the seductive vampire slowly licked away the blood. "So sweet," Donatien said, licking his lips.

"Go to hell!" Chase spat at the vampire. He would rather a swift, painful death than to become the Louis to this guys Lastat.

"Ha ha ha." Donatien threw his head back and let his laughter ring out. He was a man who knew no fear. "Only if I can take you with me."

"Never!"

"Then why haven't you screamed out for help?" Donatien circled the frightened young doctor. "Why have you not called to her?"

"To who?" This time Chase was really confused.

"To HER, the Chosen One, the only one who can save your soul."

"God will save my soul, you monster." Chase was reverting back to his seminary days, hoping he hadn't been given up on. "Our Father, Who Art in Heaven..." he began to recite the first prayer he could remember.

"You poor boy. God won't help you." Donatien leaned back against a brick wall, his arms folded casually over his chest. "Must I do everything?" He took a deep breath and let out a deathly scream. Chase covered his ears.

A few blocks away Cuddy stopped cold. Only someone faced with unspeakable horror could scream like that. She felt her blood run cold as she thought of the possible horror now walking the streets of Princeton.

Wilson heard it too, but his first instinct was to run away from the horrifying scream. He stopped when he saw Cuddy run toward the sound. "I'm not going down there!"

"I didn't ask you to. You go for help. I'll try to see what I can do."

"Are you sure?" Wilson gulped nervously.

"Go! Get Harry."

Wilson ran. He thought he shouldn't, he should be big and brave and strong and stand by her side to fight...and die. He kept running. He wasn't equipped for this sort of thing. He wasn't a Chosen anything.

Donatien was waiting when Cuddy arrived. He seemed slightly disappointed to see her alone. He held Chase in front of him as a shield.

"Chase!" Cuddy looked at the young doctor, horrified. "What the HELL are you doing here?"

"I...I..."

"Silence," Donatien whispered in his prisoner's ear. "I've got a business deal for you Lisa."

"I don't make deals with the Devil." She spat.

Donatien smiled. "You give me too much credit. I am but a lowly vampire, doing what he can to survive."

"What do you want?"

"A trade." Donatien smiled.

"No." Cuddy replied promptly.

"You don't know what I want to trade. Does this boy mean so little to you that you would trade nothing for his life?"

"You don't want nothing, Donatien." Cuddy seethed.

"I just want an eye for an eye," he looked at her piercingly, sizing her up, "a soul for a soul."

"Never!" Cuddy fumed.

"Very well." Donatien ran a hand along Chase's golden hair. "You've made your choice." The vampire barred his teeth and twisted Chase's neck almost to the point where it would break.

Cuddy's mind raced. She couldn't attack before Donatien killed the young man. Her only option was to try and talk their way out of this. "Fine, you have a deal."

"What?" Donatien's head shot in her direction. Chase heaved a short-lived sigh of relief. "You're bluffing."

"No, Donatien, you win." Cuddy put down her weapons and held up her hands. "I'm tired, I don't want to do this anymore. Let the boy go and I will be yours." She took a step toward the vampire. When nothing happened, she took another.

"I don't believe you. You're up to something." Donatien had loosened his hold on Chase, but hadn't let him go completely.

"I am accepting your deal. You don't want him. You want me." She took a few more steps in his direction. She was still trying to think of another way out of this mess.

"Don't we think highly of ourselves?" Donatien laughed gently. She was right. She, the Chosen One, was the ultimate prize. If he got rid of her...but he didn't trust her. "Come to me, my dear. Then we will talk."

"Let him go Donatien." She wasn't going to be that stupid.

"But I can't my dear. Don't you see?"

"Then you leave me with no choice." Cuddy had no idea what she was going to do. Luckily she was spared thinking of something.

A flash of gold blazed through the sky, directly toward Donatien. The vampire was knocked to the ground with the force of it. "Run!" Cuddy screamed at Chase who was now free. He hesitated only a moment before realizing he was in way over his head. He ran.

Donatien struggled on the ground, fighting the force that had entered him. Bob had, in his time, been a very formidable sorcerer, and gave Donatien one hell of a fight. "Go!" Bob said through Donatien's voice.

Cuddy was frozen in place, watching the vampire struggle against his new parasite. "Go!" He hissed again. "No, don't go, I need you."

Cuddy looked down at the vampire. There was only one thing she could do. She pulled out the gun she'd kept concealed in the back of her belt and fired three shots into the empty space the vampire had quickly vacated. She stared in confusion.

He'd done it again. Donatien had gotten away.

"Bob!?" Cuddy looked around for any sign of her ghostly friend.

The sound of sirens rang out in the distance. Cuddy ran. She didn't know where she was going, but she ran. The last thing she needed was to explain what she'd been shooting at to the police.


	48. Chapter 47

**CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN**

House opened a nice bottle of wine. He'd picked it up that afternoon, shortly after Stacy agreed to have dinner with him. He told her it was to discuss Mark's case, and she pretended to believe him. Now they were sitting on his sofa, reminiscing about old times. He sat back down and handed her a glass. She took it and curled her feet up under her, leaning against him familiarly.

"I miss this." House dared to say.

Stacy smiled warmly. "So do I Greg." She nuzzled her head against his shoulder. Thoughts of Mark were far from her mind. He no longer interested her. His soul was bland and lifeless, while House's throbbed with energy. She could see the orange red glow around him, a mix of rage and passion whenever she was around.

"Dump him, come back to me." House boldly demanded.

"You know I can't do that. Mark gives me something you never could." She was playing the game. She couldn't seem too eager or he would lose interest.

"A boredom induced coma?"

"He makes me feel wanted, and needed."

"I need you Stacy. Is that what you want to hear? I need you. I want you. I love you." House pleaded.

"It's not enough Greg. I know you want me, and you probably do need me, but you won't let me in. You won't let me help you." She needed him to be just on the verge of anger. His energy was most electric in that moment just before he turned to full blown rage.

"It's my fault?" He was losing his temper. Ever since she'd returned it seemed they couldn't have a conversation without him going into a rage.

"I didn't say that." She ran her hand across his cheek. She could feel the energy coming off his skin. She couldn't wait any longer. She pulled him into a kiss. He put up no fight. Make up sex was what House and Stacy did best.

Stacy pulled in her breath as her lips pressed hard against his. House could feel a part of himself slipping away, but he didn't care. Stacy was with him, Stacy wanted him. That's all that really mattered. He felt dizzy from the shear bliss. He felt his head spinning. He heard his doorbell ringing.

Stacy pulled away. Crap! Who the hell could it be at this hour? House was lying on the couch in a succubus induced haze. Stacy stayed still, hoping the intruder would go away.

"House, it's Cuddy. Let me in. It's important." Cuddy leaned against the door. All her strength was gone.

Stacy looked at the unconscious House, then at the only door in or out of the apartment. Why did it have to be Cuddy?

She rushed to the door. "Lisa," she threw it open, terror plastered on her face. "It's House. Something's wrong." Stacy flailed her arms in House's direction and Cuddy ran over to the couch.

"What have you done?" Cuddy checked House's vitals. His pulse was weak, his heart, weaker.

"I didn't do anything. We were…talking, and he just passed out. It was right before you got here."

Cuddy wanted to get up and deck the deceitful woman, but House was her priority. "We need to get him to the hospital right away."

"There's no time." Stacy was in a panic. Why had Cuddy accused her of doing something to him? She couldn't possibly know…could she?

"Just make the call!" Cuddy threatened. House's breath had slowed to nothing. Cuddy took a deep breath and began CPR. She pressed her mouth against House's and breathed into him. She did chest compressions. She did it again.

Stacy glared down at her. She held the phone receiver in her hand, and gently placed it back on the cradle quietly. Cuddy was too distracted to notice.

Cuddy once again put her mouth over Houses. This time something was different. She quickly pulled away and hit him in the shoulder. "You pig!"

House grinned up at her, his blue eyes bright. "It was totally worth it." House looked around. "Where'd Stacy go?"

"She was…" Cuddy looked up. The door was open and Stacy was gone. "House, we have to talk."

House was feeling better and managed to get to the couch with Cuddy's help. "You don't have to say it," he teased. "You couldn't wait to get your lips all over me."

"I was saving your life House."

"You were trying to beat Stacy to the prize." House grinned, putting one hand around her shoulders.

"Don't even think about it House." Cuddy pushed him away. "I'm not that desperate."

"Ah, but you are desperate." House grinned. "Which means you and Hot Harry haven't done the deed yet."

"It's none of your business what me and Harry have or haven't done. And what about you and Stacy..." there was something she should say about Stacy..." she's dangerous House." Cuddy's remembered what Bob had told her. "What happened here tonight?"

"Oooh, you're jealous." House leaned back. His arm had stretched across the back of the sofa, which meant it was pretty close to being around her shoulders again.

"I'm not jealous House. She's a...she's a succubus." It still sounded absurd, but tonight had convinced Cuddy of the truth.

"A what?" House sat up straight, knocking Cuddy in the head with his arm.

"Ouch!" Cuddy rubbed the back of her head.

"Sorry." House pulled her head toward him and kissed the spot he'd hit gently.

"Get off me!" Cuddy slapped his hands away. "She's trying to steal your soul. At least that's what Bob said."

"Oh, Bob, your dead friend. He told you my ex girlfriend is trying to suck out my soul. Yeah, okay. And this has nothing to do with your wanting me back."

"I don't...this has...I'm too tired to talk about this now House. Where's that damned ambulance?" She looked toward the door, but House pulled her head against his shoulder. She didn't put up a fight. She was exhausted. In seconds she was sound asleep.

House reached over and pressed his answering machine.

"House, it's Wilson. Pick up. This is an emergency. Cuddy's in trouble. Some vampire's got Chase. Come on, pick up!" His voice got more and more desperate. "I'm calling the police. I left her at the corner of Elm and Main." BEEP. "House, this is Harry. I'm looking for Lisa. She was supposed to be at Elm and Main but she's gone. She might be headed to your apartment. Let me know if she's with you." BEEP. "It's Wilson. I found Chase, but there's no sign of Cuddy. I'm coming over."

A few minutes later there was a loud knocking on the door. House was too busy sleeping to hear it.


	49. Chapter 48

**CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT**

Harry, Wilson and Cuddy rushed through the doors of the hospital. Nurse Wendy was working the night shift. She looked up. "Out of the way." Cuddy pushed ahead as Harry and Wilson came carrying House. They put in on a gurney Cuddy wheeled over, then rushed down the hall. Wendy watched the whole thing in silence.

"He's not breathing." Wilson checked House's vitals. "His blood pressure is non-existent."

"Get him on the ventilator." Cuddy rushed around House's body.

"What the hell is going on?" Wilson did as he was told. He looked down at his friend's lifeless body.

"She's trying to kill him. We need House's team here, STAT!"

Wilson ran out the door and ordered Nurse Wendy to start calling. She took Foreman while Wilson called Cameron. "I..." Chase! He'd forgotten all about Dr. Chase.

"Would you like me to wake Dr. Chase as well?" Nurse Wendy looked at him eagerly.

"Wake him?"

"He's in the clinic. He came about half an hour ago, bad cut on his neck, looked a fright. I patched him up, gave him a sedative and put him in one of the exam rooms to rest." 

"Oh, thank God." Wilson's whole body sighed with relief. "Uh, yeah, wake him, if it's not too much bother."

Wendy hurried off to the exam room. A moment later she led Dr. Chase into the lobby. "What's going on?" Chase looked dazed and sleepy.

"How are you?" Wilson started checking him.

"Stop poking me and I'll be fine." Chase pushed the eager man away from him. "I don't think there was any permanent damage." He looked over at Wendy, unsure how much he should say.

"Well, good, House is dying. Come on." Wilson led Chase into House's room.

"What the? Did that vampire get him?"

"No. Something far worse." Cuddy looked ghostly pale. She was sitting by House's bedside. It was all she could do. "What have you come up with on Mark Warner?"

"What?" Chase shook his head to clear out the cobwebs of sleep.

"Mark Warner?" Cuddy repeated.

"House is dying and you want to talk about his case load?" Chase couldn't believe her insensitivity. He'd always thought Cuddy had a little thing for House, but she really did just hate the man.

"House has the same thing." Cuddy spoke through clenched teeth. "What is it?"

"I...uh..." Chase tried to get his brain working. "House thought it might be some sort of sleeping sickness, but after he left we ruled that out."

"But Mark is getting better?" She thought House had mentioned that in one of his updates.

"It comes and goes."

"Depending on how long Stacy visits him." It was all coming together now. "Harry, have you heard from Bob?"

"I sent him after you." Harry had to do something to protect her.

"Oh god!" She closed her eyes. What more could happen this night.

"What?" Harry didn't like the sound of that.

"He's gone."

"What do you mean gone?"

"I don't know." Cuddy wanted to scream. "He entered Donatien and they disappeared."

"What are you talking about?"

"Donatien vanished before I could kill him. He must have taken Bob with him wherever he went."

"So, we don't know how to reverse the succubus' kiss and Bob is missing?"

"And Murphy," Wilson added unhelpfully.

"Hell's Bells. What next?" Harry stormed out of the room before he hurt someone. He nearly crashed into Cameron.

"I came as soon as I heard." She was breathing heavy, like she'd run all the way. "Where is House?"

"He's in there." Harry pointed to the door he just came through. Cameron quickly vanished through it.

"House!" She exclaimed as her eyes fell on his unconscious form. "What has happened to you?" She threw herself on his body. Cuddy had to physically remove her for fear of damage.

"I need to know everything you've done for Mark Warner. I need you and Chase to run tests on both of them. This has become a very urgent case." Cuddy was staring into Cameron's doe eyes. "GO!"

Cameron and Chase hurried out of the room to gather their notes and test results.

"What now?" Wilson was holding House's limp hand.

"We wait. Pray if you believe in it. Make a deal with the..." a thought flashed through her head. "Take over here. I've got to go do something."

"Cuddy?" Wilson watched her take off through the door.


	50. Chapter 49

**CHAPTER FORTY NINE**

"Donatien, you bastard, I know you're here." Cuddy was standing in the foyer of an old, abandoned church. She didn't know much magic anymore, but she'd managed to put a tracing spell on Donatien, and it led her here. "I have a deal for you."

"A real deal, or are you just trying to kill me again?" Donatien's voice came from overhead. She looked up to find him in the chore box above the door.

"A real deal." Cuddy braced herself for the biggest mistake of her life.

"Well, then," Donatien jumped over the railing and landed gracefully in front of her, "let's talk." He ran a finger along the line of her hair. Cuddy fought the urge to pull away.

"First tell me where Bob is."

"Bob?" Donatien thought for a moment, then laughed. "Oh, that delightfully bitter ghost who attacked me? He's gone."

"What do you mean gone?"

"I don't know. After I got away from you, Bella, he went away. One moment I could feel him fighting me, the next, nothing. I figured he'd be back with your rag tag little band of demon hunters by now."

"No." Cuddy couldn't disguise her concern. But she was hear to do a job. She had to concentrate on that. "What do you know about Succubi?" Being this close to the vampire was intoxicating. She had to focus her mind to remember why she was there.

"Some of my best friends are succubi." Donatien walked around her. His finger slid under her hair, sliding it over to reveal the nape of her slender neck.

Cuddy took a deep breath. "Is there a way to reverse their curse?"

"Curse? To experience pure sensual pleasure is far from a curse." Donatien let her hair fall back down over her neck. If he tried to bite her now she would just put up a fight. Better to let her come to him.

"To die from it is! Is there a way to save a succubus' victim? Yes or no?" She was losing her temper.

"In exchange for an answer you will surrender to me?" He was eager. He hadn't meant to let it show.

"Yes." She closed her eyes for a moment. She thought of House's lifeless body laying in the hospital because of her.

"Well, then, I wish I could help you."

"What do you mean, you wish you could help me?" She turned on him. "You don't know how to save House?"

Donatien laughed merrily. "I knew it was him. You are so transparent my dear."

"Shut up Donatien." She grabbed his lapels and tossed him across the room. "If you can't help me, I'm wasting my time hear."

"I did not say I can't help you." Donatien got up and brushed dust off his black suit. "I merely implied I wouldn't."

"Why not? I'm surrendering. You win. The Chosen One will be yours. What more do you want?"

"I want you to want to join me. Not to do it to save...HIM."

"Well, as the philosopher Jagger once said, you can't always get what you want." Using that quote made her think of House.

"Who is this philosopher you speak of?" Donatien prided himself on being very well read.

Cuddy smiled." You've never heard of him?"

"I can't seem to place the name, that's all." Donatien didn't like the turn the conversation had taken. "I'll take your deal."

"What?"

"You're life for that of your beloved."

"He's not my beloved."

"You really think this is the time to argue that point?" Donatien smiled smugly, and Cuddy fought the urge to punch him in the face. Oh what the hell. She pulled back her arm and sent her fist crashing into his nose.

"You..." Donatien held his nose. It was bleeding. "I shouldn't let you get away with that."

"Then why are you?" Cuddy was in the mood for a fight. She wanted to do some major damage to someone, and Donatien seemed a good enough choice.

"Well, then, I won't." Donatien came flying at her, teeth barred.

Cuddy pivoted out of the way at the last second, nearly losing her balance. "Tell...me...how to...save...him," She was dodging punches as well as throwing some of her own as she spoke.

"There...is...only...one...way," Donatien made a swift move that caught Cuddy's arm behind her back. He was now breathing heavily on her neck and pulling her arm slowly out of it's socket.

"How?" She managed to get the word out during a scream of pain. The rest of her effort went into lifting her foot swiftly into his balls.

The vampire let her go and doubled over in pain. She took advantage of his position and released a strong kick into his face. "I'm not leaving until I have an answer."

"I can go on like this forever, my pet." Every blow only seemed to excite the man more. He flew at her again, pinning her against a pew. "How long do you think you can go?" He twisted the arm he'd nearly broken a little. She screamed in pain.

"I'll kill you." She managed to get her knee up between them and shoved him off with it.

"You can't." He smashed through an already cracked pew and got up. "I'm already dead."

"There are ways to destroy vampires." She found a stray plank of wood nearby and picked it up.

"Ha. I have protected myself against those years ago." Donatien vanished from the spot he was as she charged at him. "You can't catch me." He taunted her from the pulpit.

Cuddy was fuming. She charged at the pulpit and managed to nail him on the side of the head with the plank. Blood from his nose splattered out against the wall. "I might not be able to kill you, but I can make you wish you were dead."

"You know I live for our little get togethers." Donatien spoke the words, but the pain in his face showed the truth.

"Tell me!" She smashed the plank against his head again. There was a rusty nail in it, which this time pierced into his skull.

Donatien let out a scream that could send a chill down Satan's spine. Cuddy froze for a moment.

The vampire launched at her, head into gut. He forced her to the floor, then pinned her arms beside her head. "You do not tell me what to do." He was coming at her, teeth barred.

Cuddy panicked. She didn't know what else to do, so she turned her head and bit him as hard as she could.

The vampire doubled back, releasing her arms to grab his own. He looked down at the teeth marks, at the hanging flesh. "You bit me. You psychotic bitch!"

"Tell me how to save House." Cuddy wasn't backing down.

Donatien shrugged. He was going to tell her anyway. "It's easy. If he's not already dead, you just have to kill the succubus who's taking his soul. When she dies, the soul will be returned to it's rightful owner."

"If he is dead?"

"His soul is doomed to float about on Earth for eternity." Donatien held out a hand to help her up. "We really should do this again some time." He smiled at her.

"Next time I'm going to kill you." Cuddy pushed him away.

"You say that every time, Princess." Donatien took her hand and kissed it gently. "But you and I both know you can't do it, and I've a sneaking suspicion you wouldn't, even if you could."

"Go to hell." She turned and walked out. Someday she was going to kill him. But she had more important demons to deal with right now.


	51. Chapter 50

**CHAPTER FIFTY**

Stacy had slipped quietly into the night. She knew she had to leave town, but she was so close. Had Cuddy not interrupted them, she would have House's soul right now. She'd been so close, she could taste him still.

She circled the hospital. There was a lot of activity for this late at night. She was there when they brought House in. She felt his weak energy as they passed by her. For a moment she'd thought Cuddy could sense her, but that was just paranoia. "Chosen One my ass." Stacy scoffed.

About twenty minutes later she watched Cuddy run back out into the night. This was her chance. She strolled into the hospital. She really didn't think Cuddy had put out an APB on her. Not when her precious House was dying. Cuddy couldn't think straight when it came to House. She never could.

"Stacy!" Cameron was hurrying down the hallway when she almost crashed into the older woman.

"Allison. What's going on? Is Mark okay?" Stacy tried to seem innocent. It was a role she'd been playing for years.

"What? Oh. Yes. Mark's fine, it's House..."

"What's wrong with House?" Show concern, but not too much, you don't know how bad it is yet.

"He's in a coma." Cameron's hair was tangled and tied in a ball at the back of her head. She was in a big tee shirt and pajama bottoms. Her glasses where crooked on her nose. She was a wreck.

"Where is he? I have to see him." Now start to act panicked. You're worried that it's worse than it is. You can do this.

"Come with me." Cameron rushed toward House's room. She pushed the doors open. Stacy hesitated for a moment. What if they knew? Then she'd have to take them out. She felt for the gun in her coat pocket.

Her eyes fell on House. For a moment she felt deep guilt, but the moment passed. His soul was intoxicating. She needed it. She just had to get him alone. "Can I have a moment?" She was tearing up.

Harry eyed her suspiciously but was pushed out by Cameron and Wilson, both of whom felt their romantic sensibilities taking over.

"Who is that woman?" Harry asked when they finally let go of him.

"That's Stacy. She's House's..." Wilson couldn't finish his sentence. Harry was already pushing his way back through the door.

Stacy was leaning over House's body. Her lips only inches from his. Harry could see the dark vapor of his soul being sucked away. "Get away from him." Harry charged full speed at the woman, knocking her to the floor.

"Harry!" Cameron and Wilson came running in. They tried to stop him from his attack.

"She's the one." Harry was struggling to keep Stacy pinned underneath him. "She's the one who's been killing him."

"Who is this man? He's crazy! Get him off me." Stacy struggled underneath Harry's surprisingly strong body.

"What?" Wilson couldn't believe his ears.

"She wouldn't...she loves him." Cameron refused to accept such a thing.

"She's a demon." Harry released one of her arms just long enough to grab his wand, then he had to hold her down again as she clawed at his face. "Someone help me, please!"

"I'm calling the cops." Wilson rushed to the phone.

"Leave her alone!" Cameron didn't know what to do. There was no way she could fight Harry. He was twice as strong as she. She started hitting him in the back. "Let go of her."

"Cameron, the bedpan." Stacy saw an ally. She knew she could count on Allison Cameron in a pinch. Girl power and all that, bonding over their feelings for House. They were soul sisters now. Stacy smiled inside.

Cameron looked at the floor and saw the metal bedpan laying there. She grabbed it and held it up over her head. Before she could lower it on Harry's he shot a blast of magic at her that sent her toppling to the floor.

This gave Stacy the leeway she needed. With one leg and both her arms, she shifted his weight to one side and managed to turn the tables. She was not on top of him, looking down at him. "You shouldn't have messed with me." She lowered her lips to his.

Harry struggled, turning his head away as far as he could. Sealing his lips as tight as he could. He tried to force her off him. Cameron was standing beside Wilson who was busy explaining that a lunatic was attacking a woman at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital and could they bring the men with the nets ASAP.

Stacy reached deep down in her demonic soul and used all the power she had. She let out all the air in her body, then got as close to his mouth as she could. In seconds he was still beneath her.

"What did you do?" Cameron looked relieved and frightened all at once.

"Wow!" Wilson was impressed.

"We've got to tie him up before he wakes up." Stacy was fighting the urge to smile triumphantly. Her luck seemed to be improving, getting stuck with the two biggest bleeding hearts in the hospital. There was no way they would doubt her.

Wilson searched for something to tie Harry up with, while Cameron pulled the top sheet off of House. He wouldn't mind.

Cuddy walked into the room. "What are you doing?" She looked around and took a quick assessment of the situation. "You bitch! You know I never really liked you." Cuddy pulled a knife out of her pants.

"You were always jealous of me Lisa. I got everything you wanted." Stacy pulled out her gun.

"Shit!" Cuddy sighed heavily. In one movement she pushed Wilson and Cameron out the door like dominos, then lunged under the bed. Stacy fired one shot that went into the wall behind Cuddy. "This is turning into a very bad day." Cuddy scuttled under the bed and swiped at Stacy's ankle with the knife.

Stacy let out a cry of pain, then fell to all fours, the gun pointed under the bed. Cuddy scuttled back out and nearly missed the next bullet.

Nurse Wendy and Chase, who'd been chatting her up, came running. "What's happening?"

"I have no idea." Wilson shook his head slowly.

"We should do something?" Cameron looked around for support but got none. They all stood there, staring at the door, hoping for the best.

Inside the room, House lay still as the two women continued to fight. "You've only got four more bullets Stacy."

"Thanks for the update Lisa." Stacy aimed the gun at Cuddy who was standing still in front of her. As soon as she pulled the trigger Cuddy dodged to the left.

"That leaves three." Cuddy needed to get those bullets out of the gun if she had any chance of beating Stacy.

"Duh!" Stacy nearly pulled the trigger, but decided to wait for Cuddy's guard to be down.

Damn! Cuddy thought. She carefully slipped her hand to the table next to her and picked up whatever she could reach. It felt like a pen. She tossed it toward the door. Stacy swung the gun in the direction of the door and fired.

Wilson, Cameron, Chase and Wendy all jumped.

"This next one is going right through your heart." Stacy tightened her grip on the weapon. She was a patient woman. She would wait for Cuddy to slip up. She did not remember Cuddy being so patient. This really shouldn't take long.

Cuddy stood perfectly still. Her mind was racing. She knew Stacy would fire the first moment she let her guard down. She couldn't wait any longer. She began to weigh her options. She could charge at Stacy, try to take her down. She could, stand here and wait for Stacy to fall asleep, she could just wait for House to die. These were not great options.

Without warning she chaged. She lowered her body as she ran at the succubus. Stacy discharged the weapon, hitting Cuddy in the shoulder. Cuddy ignored the shooting pain and plunged her knife deep into Stacy's heart.

Wild screaming forced Chase and Wilson to run into the room. They were men. They had to be brave some time. "Oh my God!" Wilson looked at the two women piled on top of each other.

"Dr. Cuddy?" Chase ran to Cuddy and checked her wound. There was a lot of blood, but it didn't seem fatal. He turned her over.

"Is House...is he..." she was too weak to get it out.

"He's..." Wilson's eyes grew wide. "I think he's waking up."

Chase had checked Stacy's vitals." She's dead."

"No!" Cameron screamed in the doorway. Wendy pulled her into her arms and let the girl cry.

House groaned.

"He is. He's waking up!" Wilson's face lit up. His best friend was alive.

Cuddy smiled weakly. "Tell him he owes me big time." She then proceeded to pass out.


	52. Chapter 51

**CHAPTER FIFTY ONE**

Harry stirred on the floor. He shoved Cameron off of him. "You stay away from me."

"I'm just trying to help," Cameron protested.

"By bludgeoning me in the head with a bedpan?" Harry eyed her carefully.

"I didn't..."

"Only because I stopped you." Harry got up. Cuddy was sitting in a chair being force fed water by a worried Chase. "How are you?" He gently pushed Chase aside and knelt before his hero.

"I've been better."

"You killed her." Harry looked over to Stacy's lifeless body. "She was your friend, that couldn't have been easy."

"It might be if you don't keep bringing it up." She tried to smile, but it just wasn't working.

"Sorry, I just thought..."

"You were trying to help. I know. I'd just rather not think about it right now if that's okay."

House finally managed to sit up in his bed. He looked around. "You killed Stacy." He stated with little emotion.

"She was trying to kill you House. She nearly succeeded." Cuddy informed him.

"I know. I'm just surprised you killed her. I'm impressed."

"She doesn't want to talk about it," Harry warned.

"Any sign of Murphy?" Cuddy looked around the room hopefully.

"No." Harry's face sunk. "I'm going to go..."

"Did someone say my name?" Murphy came triumphantly through the door, until she saw the scene before her. "Uh, what happened here?"

Harry took her into the hallway and filled her in on all that had happened.

"She's trying to steal your boyfriend. You'd better get out there and fight for him." House teased.

"He's not my boyfriend." Cuddy snapped back.

"Oh, sure, that's why his pants grow every time you're around." House smiled.

"His pants do not grow..."Cuddy needed a way out of this conversation. "Cameron, go check on Mark Warner. If my information is right, he should have recovered like House and Harry."

"But..."

"GO!" Cuddy pointed to the door. Cameron scurried out in a huff.

In a sudden puff of smoke, a tall, white haired man appeared in the room.

"Bob!" Cuddy hurried toward him. Her first instinct was to wrap him in a big, warm hug, but she stepped right through him. Frustrated she turned and walked around him. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, you'd be amazed." Bob looked at her warmly. "Oh, and thanks for that." He winked. "I see we're all in one piece."

"Bob, you're back." Harry and Murphy had returned to the room after his speed version of what she'd missed.

"Yes. I would have come earlier, but I was waiting for that girl to leave. Is it just me, or is she painfully annoying?"

"It's not just you," Cuddy half whispered, hoping House couldn't hear her.

"I thought not." Bob smiled. "Well, I thought you might like to know that your soul sucking ex wasn't here by coincidence. She was sent here by Erohs, the water demon."

"Water demon? That's new." House was intrigued by this new information. Chase looked around, waiting for someone else to be shocked by all this, only Wilson showed any sign of WTF, but Wilson always showed signs of WTF, so that wasn't much to go by.

"Yes. He is, for some reason, trying to destroy you, Dr. House. Don't ask me why? I find you to be an insignificant little man, but there is no accounting for taste."

"I am not insignificant," House pouted.

"Of course you're not." Bob spoke as to a child. "How dare the big bad ghostie say such a thing."

"You already told us this Bob," Cuddy's warning voice meant to get the ghost back on track.

"Yes, but I was under the assumption then that it was just a trick, to bring the Chosen One, you, out of retirement. But no, this is, oddly enough, all about Dr. House."

"How do you know?" Harry found this as hard to believe as Bob did.

"I've been asking around. There is a bit of a demon war going on, and you, Dr. House, seem to be at the crux of it all." Bob eyed the lanky man suspiciously. "If you've been hiding something, now might be a good time to tell us about it."

"I'm not hiding anything." House protested. What he meant was he wasn't hiding anything he thought was relevant, but just because a pair of power tripping demons were after him didn't mean he was going to start spilling all his secrets. Some were quite embarrassing.

Cameron came barging in. "Mark is fine. I checked all his vitals. He's completely healthy." She seemed amazed, which was reasonable considering earlier today the man had been on deaths door step.

Bob leaned into Cuddy's ear. "Get rid of the twit and meet me at your place. I've got more to tell you." Then he vanished.

"What was that?" Cameron looked at the lingering bit of golden smoke that was slowly fading behind Cuddy.


	53. Chapter 52

**CHAPTER FIFTY TWO**

It wasn't easy to get rid of Cameron, but eventually Cuddy convinced her to go home and get some rest. Cuddy just had House do it. The rest of them left the room, giving them some privacy. House pulled out all the stops, trailing a finger down her hand, stroking her cheek, telling her he was worried about her. Before he could go on, Cameron had thrown her arms around his neck. He let her get it out of her system then told her to go home and get some sleep. She left.

Wilson waited for him in the lobby. "Where'd everybody go?"

"To Cuddy's. We thought it might look a little odd if Cameron came out and saw us all standing around waiting for her to leave. We couldn't get rid of Chase, but since Bob made no specific mention of him, Cuddy thought it would be okay." Wilson cringed. He thought House might have an issue with that.

"Whatever." House just wanted to get out of this damned hospital. He hadn't been a patient here since the infarction, and it was bringing back all kinds of bad memories.

The whole gang gathered at Cuddy's house. Chase had secured his place in the gang by bringing the pizza. He arrived just after House and Wilson.

Bob paced the room. Wilson, Cuddy and House filled the sofa while Harry and Murphy each took a chair.

"The water demon is very dangerous. He is very influential and can convince people to see what they want in him. It's an amazing talent."

"Point Bob," Harry warned.

"His only weakness is an inflated sense of his own importance. He thinks he's God and that everyone will bend to his will no matter what he does. If we can find a way to use that, we can find a way to destroy him."

"What about that other one?" House demanded. Getting another piece of pizza.

"The other...oh, yes, Eitak. She is his partner, the air demon. I have not yet discovered her great weakness, but I fear it might be the same. Demons have a tendency of thinking they are a lot greater than they are. Probably because they are the ruling class down in Hellanto. Here on Earth, however, they are rather important. That is why they have been using others to carry out their evil plan. I think she will be easier to destroy than he is. She seems a bit...flaky."

House snickered. Everyone shot him an evil glare. "Come on? Flaky demon? That's funny."

"May I get back to what I was saying?" Bob was getting impatient.

"Of course Bob." Harry didn't particularly like being in House's company either. He had no idea how Cuddy put up with the insufferable man.

"Thank you." Bob bowed his head to his master, then went on with his presentation. He flicked his hand in the air and a fully developed picture hung there. It was Vogler. "So far E&E have sent us an ogre. Low on the power chain. Ogre's are basically mindless killing machines. This one was disguised as a business man..."

"When miserable miser Edward Vogler gets enraged, he turns into the Incredible Ogre! Rawr!"

"House?"

"Yes Mommy." House looked at Cuddy and smiled, his head hung in shame.

"Next we got a succubus." Bob waved his hand again and a second image, this one of Stacy, hung in the air. "Now, succubi are far more powerful than ogres. Unlike an ogre, succubus will use charm and manipulation to get their prey." House was turning red under Bob's knowing gaze. "They are highly intelligent, highly seductive creatures."

"How does someone become a succubus?" House was looking for anything to point to Stacy being cursed.

"They're born. Succubi are not human, they only look that way to make it easier to hunt their prey. I'm afraid your little girlfriend was always going to suck out your soul. I'm not sure why it took her so long, or why she left before killing you the first time, but I've never been a succubus, so I don't know what goes through their twisted minds."

"You've never run into one?" Chase had managed to grasp the concept of the century's old ghost better than anyone expected.

"I have." Bob confirmed.

"How did you escape?"

"Who said I did?" Bob smiled enigmatically. He'd had centuries of practice. "I was lucky enough to have my generations Chosen One save me."

"You're generations what?" Chase metaphorically scratched his head. He literally took another bite of his pizza.

Cuddy sunk down in her seat a little. House, Harry, Murphy and Bob were all staring at her, smiling with different levels of humor.

"In each generation a young woman is chosen to lead the way. She is given a great gift, of strength, bravery and in Cuddy's case, hotness." Cuddy turned red. Bob smiled at her. "She must, during her tenure, fight the forces of evil and restore balance to the world."

"And this is just happening now?" Chase didn't really think of Cuddy as a young woman.

"No, and that's what's odd. Lisa already faced her challenge. She should be retired now, and a new girl take her place. But that hasn't happened." Bob was trying to figure out why, but was having no luck at all.

"A baby Buffy." House laughed. No one responded to him so he stopped.

"Is there some sort of book?" Murphy was also curious about this whole Chosen One thing. Cuddy didn't look particularly special to her. "A list of names somewhere?"

"No." Bob was getting testy.

"Then how do you know a new person hasn't been chosen?"

"No one knows how she is chosen. It could be random selection, it could be every ten millionth girl born, who knows." Bob shrugged.

"Then how do you know?"

"That Lisa is a Chosen One? Well, other than the fact that she has kicked some major demon ass in her day, I tested her."

"Then there could be a new one that you just haven't tested yet." Murphy didn't like Cuddy being special. Not that she wanted the job, she just didn't like the way Harry looked at the Chosen One. It annoyed her. Not that she was interested in him, she was just concerned, as a friend. She didn't want him to get his heart broken.

"So, until a new one comes along, I'm sorry my dear," Bob turned to Cuddy, "but you are, as they say, it."

"What do we do next?" Cuddy had accepted her fate.

"We wait, for the next monster the demons want to throw at us."

"That's it?" Murphy stood up. "We wait?" She paced back and forth a little. "What kind of action is that? We need to do something? Find these bastards and eliminate them before they eliminate us."

"Whoa there Murph." Harry grabbed the back of her coat and pulled her back down into her chair. "Bob's right. Until we know what we're dealing with and how to deal with what we're dealing with, our best course of action is to wait."

"And hide? Is that what you're asking us to do Harry? Hide? Like frightened children?"

"With all do respect Miss Murphy," Bob cut in, "hiding is a better option than running around and getting ourselves picked off one by one."

"That's easy for you to say!" Murphy shot at him. "You're dead."

"You don't have to rub it in." Bob acted wounded.

"Forgive me." Murphy said sarcastically. "I didn't realize I could hurt a ghost's feelings." 

"Well, you can, and you did."

"Bob." Cuddy got up and walked over to the ghost. "Are you sure there is nothing else we can do? I'm not entirely comfortable with sitting around waiting to be attacked. Besides, these demons of yours are not our only challenge. There have been several werewolf attacks, and a group of vampires roaming around Princeton. I've got to be out there, fighting."

"In the open?" Bob didn't like the idea of that at all.

"Yes Bob."

"It will be dark," House added, he thought helpfully, as he went and joined them.

"Easier for them to attack you, in the cover of night." Bob whined.

"Bob. Snap out of it." Harry got up and joined Cuddy and House in the Bob huddle. Murphy followed him. Chase shrugged at Wilson as they sat and finished their pizza.

"That's easy for you to say." Bob pouted.

"You've got the least at risk here Bob."

"Hmph." Bob turned his back on his friend. "You don't know what I'm risking, what you're all risking. Erohs and Eitak are not going to go down lightly. They are not to be trifled with. They will destroy you all. And then I will be left with nothing." Bob might have sniffled there, no one would ever be sure.

"Bob. They're not gods. There has got to be a way to stop them. We can appeal to a higher court if we must. I will go to my godmother..."

"Not Lea." Bob snapped quickly. "I will find another way." Bob sighed. Erohs and Eitak were nothing compared with Harry's fairy godmother. Fairies never did anything out of the goodness of their hearts, and she would want payment.


	54. Chapter 53

**CHAPTER FIFTY THREE**

Did they all think she was some sort of idiot? Cameron sat under the window, her ears wide open. She had missed some of what was being said. She'd have to get one of them to fill her in later. Probably Chase. He would be the easiest to manipulate. But really, the nerve of them, sending her off to bed while they did whatever it was they were doing.

She watched as one by one they headed off home. She didn't leave until she saw House go. Then she got in her car and drove to Chase's apartment. He looked confused, but happy to see her. "Hey, it's late, what are you doing here?"

"I had to see you Chase." She pushed her way into his apartment.

"Uh, why?" It wasn't that he didn't want to see her, he would love to see her, ALL of her, but she really never wanted to see him, so something was clearly up, other than him.

"I need you Chase." She pushed him up against the wall, her lips brushing against his skin.

"Uh, this isn't a good idea." Chase pushed her away.

"You're not turning nice on me are you?" She looked at him. There was a passion in her eyes that he'd never seen before. Something was not right.

"Did you take something?"

"I don't have to take something to rock your world Chase." She slid her way down his body. Before he could process the incredible sensations he was feeling, she was on her knees, and his pajama bottoms were around his ankles.

Half an hour later they were laying naked in bed together. Cameron was running her fingers along his sweaty body, sending tingles of pleasure through his muscles. He was weak and dizzy from the mind blowing sex he hadn't thought her capable of.

She took advantage of his weakness and began asking him questions about what happened, about the conversation at Cuddy's house, and about the Chosen One.

Poor, satiated, eager to please Chase told her all he could remember. He didn't see the harm in it. He didn't stop to think that there must be a reason she wasn't invited to the meeting, and he didn't wonder why she was asking. He just wanted to please her so she would please him again. And she did.

It wasn't until much later that she slipped out from under his arm, put her clothes back on in a rush and quietly slipped out the door, her mind filled with new information and new ambitions.


	55. Chapter 54

**CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR**

House walked into his office. He felt a pair of eyes following him. He looked over to see Cameron standing in the doorway that separated his office from that of his staff. "What now?" He asked, tossing his bag on the desk.

"I thought you should know that Mark Warner was released this morning." She came over to his desk slowly. He thought she was trying to be seductive, but it might have just been that her shoes were too tight. It was hard to tell.

"Great. Have you scheduled the parade yet?"

"I had to tell him about Stacy." Cameron did seem troubled, in her eyes; there was a haunted quality to them this morning, like she hadn't slept.

"Good."

"Good?" Her eyes widened.

"Better you than me." House elaborated.

Cameron thought about this for a moment, then realized she totally agreed. "Anyway, I just thought you'd want to know."

"Okay." House turned on his computer.

"He's going to have a funeral for her." Cameron kept trying to leave, but she just couldn't.

"That's nice." House was only half listening. The other half of his was typing something on his keyboard.

"Will you go?" She looked at him with those wide Bambi eyes. He hated when she did that. Even he had a hard time being mean to Bambi.

"Busy." House clicked into a website and began skimming the main page.

"You don't even know when it is yet?" She began to get that snippy tone in her voice.

"Still busy." House cursed and hit the back button a few times.

"I'll let you know when he gives me the date. I'll mark it on your calendar. That way you won't schedule anything else on that day."

"While you're at it, can you schedule my dentist appointment, and check on my dinner with the president?" House said flippantly. "Oh, by the way, I don't need a damned social secretary." He turned his full attention to the computer. If she said anything else, he didn't hear it. By the time he bothered to look, she was gone.

In the meantime he tried every spelling he could think of for Erohs. He even managed to spell it right on one search, but it still got him nothing. The internet was supposed to be a gateway to the world. Why couldn't he find a way to defeat one tiny little demon?

"Whatcha doing?" Wilson had arrived in his office at some point during his research. He'd even sat down and had started constructing a lovely paperclip necklace.

"Research." House grumbled, looking at the paperclip chain in disgust.

"On what?" Wilson had no patients this morning, and his mind was still on overdrive from the night before. He needed to gossip.

"That demon Bob mentioned. There's got to be something we can find out to help Cuddy."

"And if there's not?"

"I'm not going to sit around and wait for something to come eat me." Wilson didn't understand, he wasn't the main course. At best he'd be a tasty little snack, but all he had to do was lay low and he wouldn't be anything but alive.

"Have you tried the library?" Wilson decided House needed someone to help him out. Someone who wasn't flying off the deep end.

"Sent Chase this morning." House replied. Thought he'd blend in more with the college crowd."

"Right." Wilson snickered. "You were just too embarrassed to ask for books on demons yourself."

"Why should I, when Chase is gullible enough to do it for me?" House smiled his trademark mischievous smile.

"Good point." Wilson finished his chain and circled it around House's pencil holder. "Got anything you want to pawn off on me?"

"I want to find out more about a vampire named Donatien. Think you can handle that?"

"How do you spell it?" Wilson asked innocently enough.

"Ugh!" House rolled his eyes and grabbed a pen out of the holder. He scribbled the name on a post it and stuck it to Wilson's forehead.

Wilson took the post it off his forehead and looked at it. "Looks French."

"Yeah. I kind of figured that much out already." House groaned. "What else ya got?"

"Well, I only just got this, so I'm going to need a little more than two seconds to do some research."

"Fine." House realized Wilson also wanted more information as Wilson just sat there staring at him. "Donatien has been sniffing around Cuddy. He seems to want her as one of his undead harem..."

"I bet she'd look hot with fangs..." Wilson mused, mostly to annoy House. It worked.

"Not the point! Find out who he is and what he wants from her."

"If he's a vampire, and she's a, you know, vampire slayer, I'm going to guess he wants her to not slay him."

"Well Duh! But why not just kill her?"

"Well Duh! She's smokin'. And he probably a horny little vampire."

"I'm starting to think you're a horny little oncologist. Stop talking about her like that."

"Why? You want her all for yourself?" Wilson teased.

"She's your boss, it's inappropriate."

Wilson nearly choked on air. "That? Coming from you? Has got to be the worst excuse I've ever heard."

"Whatever, just find out who he is." House sent Wilson on his merry little way.


	56. Chapter 55

**CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE**

Cameron knocked softly on Cuddy's door.

"Come in."

"May I talk to you for a moment?" Cameron looked around to make sure Cuddy was alone.

"What'd he do now?" Cuddy prepared herself for another House talk.

"Oh, no, this isn't about House." Cameron looked startled for a moment. "It's about...well, Chase told me about your meeting last night. About what's going on." She looked eagerly at Cuddy, waiting for confirmation before going on.

"Yes?" Cuddy was curious where this was going. Had Cameron seen something, did she know something they didn't?

"How did you know?" She realized that wasn't a complete thought. "I mean, how did you know, that you were the Chosen One?"

"What?" Cuddy was suddenly apprehensive.

"Did you feel different? Did you get some sign?"

"No." Cuddy hadn't really talked to anyone about this. It seemed odd that the first person to ask would be Dr. Cameron. "Bob told me."

"The ghost?"

"Yes." Cuddy smiled. She could see how hard this was for Cameron to believe. She had to admit, if the roles were reversed she'd be having trouble with it all too. "He saw something in me. He told me I was the Chosen One and explained what I had to do."

"But how did he know?"

Cuddy frowned in thought, then shrugged. "I never asked."

"You never asked?" Cameron was stunned. She would have showered him with questions.

"I was hoping it would all go away. I was only a high school freshman with baby fat and bad hair. I didn't think I could possibly be chosen for anything."

"But he said you saved the world."

"Eventually, after years of training."

"Who trained you?"

"Bob." That kind of seemed obvious, didn't it?

"Oh." Cameron thought about this. It was doubtful Bob would train her in anything. She didn't know why, but she thought he didn't like her much. "What kind of training?"

"Combat, martial arts, stealth moves, yoga." Cuddy laughed. "He said that yoga would keep me limber in battle."

"Interesting." Cameron was taking it all in. "But you must want to find your replacement?"

"I did." Cuddy thought about it. "But I think I'm supposed to fight this fight."

"Because of House?"

"Because of House, and because it's happening here."

"What if the new Chosen One is here? She could be closer than you think." Cameron smiled inside. She could be sitting across from you right now.

"It's possible I supposed, but it's highly unlikely."

"Stranger things have happened."

"I suppose they have." Cuddy eyed the younger woman suspiciously. Surely she wasn't suggesting what it seemed like she was suggesting.

"I should go now. Hope I didn't keep you from anything." Cameron was being extra polite.

"Not at all." Cuddy watched her go, then called out into the room. "Bob? Are you there?" Nothing happened. "She's gone now Bob."

"What was all that about?" Bob materialized in front of Cuddy's desk.

"I don't know, but can you test her?"

"Without her knowing?" Bob pondered this. "I think so." More thought. "Yes, I have a spell I think will work."

"It'll probably amount to nothing anyway, but she's right, stranger things have happened."

"Stop looking at me like that." Bob knew he was the strange think to which Cuddy referred. "You're not exactly normal yourself."

Cuddy laughed. "No. I suppose not."


	57. Chapter 56

**CHAPTER FIFTY SIX**

Harry and Murphy sat across from each other at the hotel restaurant. "What are you up to Dresden?" Murphy knew that look. Harry had one of his crazy schemes.

"About 450 calories. What about you?" He poured a little more syrup on his half eaten pancakes and took a big bite.

"I'm serious Harry. You're not the sit and wait for something to happen type. What's up?"

"We're going hunting."

"For what?" Murphy tried to hide her excitement.

"Demons."

"Really?" A shot of fear flashed across the cops face. "Shouldn't we have the Chosen One with us. This is kind of her deal, isn't it?"

"Different demons." Harry explained through a mouthful of hash browns.

"Different demons?" Murphy sounded doubtful.

"Yeah. You didn't think they were the only two did you?"

"No. Of course not." Murphy buried her ignorance in a sip of coffee.

Harry laughed. He tried not to because he knew it would get him a kick in the shin, but he did it anyway. Sometimes you just had to. "Ouch!"

"You come down to the precinct some time and watch an autopsy being performed. We'll see how tough you are then."

Harry made a face. She knew dead bodies freaked him out. "Finish your breakfast, then we're going on a little trip."

"Where?" Murphy asked excitedly.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"That is NOT an answer Harry Dresden."

"You're quite right Connie Murphy." Harry shoved a sausage in his mouth. He was going to need all his strength for where they were going.


	58. Chapter 57

**CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN**

Wilson headed to the only place he could think of, the dark street corner where he and Cuddy had first run into the vampire Donatien. He looked around. Now what? "Uh, come out come out wherever you are?" He said uncertainly.

A fuzzy little something ran across his path. He hoped it was only a raccoon. "Uh, Mr. Donatien? Are you here?" He sighed. Really, if he could deal with House, he could deal with this vampire. His voice took on more authority. "I need to speak to you about Lisa."

A chill ran down Wilson's spine. The air turned cold.

"Lisa you say?"

Wilson spun around to see the tall, lean figure of Donatien leaning casually against a lamp post. The vampire smiled, barring his sharp fanged teeth. His face lit with recognition. "You're her little friend."

"Yes," Wilson voice wavered, but he tried to stand tall. Why hadn't he brought backup. "And I want to know what your intentions are."

Donatien laughed heartily. "My intentions." He slid across the sidewalk and was pushing a forelock of hair out of Wilson's face gently. "I intend to make her unstoppable."

"I...wait, what?" That wasn't exactly what Wilson was expecting, and he had no idea what it meant.

"You know you shouldn't have come here alone." Donatien circled his prey.

"I...I..." Wilson was frozen in place.

"You care for her?"

"She's a friend." Wilson replied.

"Well, as her friend, tell her that it's in her best interest to meet with me once more. I have another little proposition for her." Donatien slid a finger along Wilson's neck.

Wilson finally got hold of himself. He ran. He ran as fast as his feet would carry him. He didn't even know he could run that fast, or that far. When he finally stopped, he had no idea where he was. He just knew that the cold feeling of death that seemed to follow Donatien around like perfume was gone, and that he was alone.

No. Not alone. He heard muffled noises followed by a whisper. He hid behind a tree. A young black man turned the corner. Wilson's eyes budged. It was Foreman. Wilson watched carefully. Foreman seemed to be fiddling with something in his pocket.

Wilson waited a little while, to see if whoever Foreman was talking to would turn up. He turned to watch as Foreman vanished around a corner. No one else seemed to be coming, so Wilson rushed off after Foreman.

Fortunately the young man didn't go far. He turned into a small house only two blocks later. Wilson darted across the street. He wanted to get a look inside. There had been something in the way Foreman walked, his collar turned up even though there was little wind, his shoulders hunched down, his head hung furtively. He was up to something. House would want to know what.

Wilson scurried across the street and hid behind a bush under what must be the living room window. After a careful moment, he peeked into the window. The room was dark and empty. He looked around nervously before moving to the next window. This turned out to be the kitchen, and it too was empty.

He moved on to the next and was just about to take a look when he felt something on his shoulder. His blood froze in his veins and he slowly turned around. He was oddly relieved to see the police man glaring down at him.

"May I ask what you're doing here?" The policeman asked not so nicely.

"I uh..." Wilson sighed. House had inadvertently gotten him in trouble again. "I was trying to look in the window officer. A friend of mine went inside, and I just wanted to make sure he was okay."

"Did you forget how to ring the doorbell?" The officer was not amused.

"Didn't want to bother him?" Wilson shrugged.

"How nice of you." The cop drolled. "You have the right to remain silent..."

"You're arresting me?" Wilson felt his arms being twisted behind him, the cuffs being slapped over his wrists.

"You have the right to an attorney..."

"I can't believe this is happening." His first thought was that House would never let him live this down. Great.


	59. Chapter 58

**CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT**

Cameron headed home, her gym bag slung over her shoulder. She was exhausted. Slayer training wasn't easy, but it would be worth it. When she saved House, it would all have been worth it.

She thought she heard a noise. Her whole body became rigid and alert. This was it, her first test. A rush of fear and excitement ran through her.

A small, wrinkled grey creature came out of the bushes. It made a strange grunting giggle that unnerved her. It was like no sound she had ever heard before. It had small beady black eyes and a large crooked nose. It was a hideous sight, and yet there was something childlike about it. Cameron waited quietly, to see if it was friendly.

The creature snarled at her. Not in a friendly kind of way. Cameron began to second guess this whole Chosen One idea. Now that she actually had to face killing something, she wasn't so sure about it all.

The creature snarled again, and came at her with large, clawed hands. "What the..."

"It's a goblin." Bob's disembodied voice filled the air. "You have to kill it by gouging out it's eyes." He might be testing her, but he wasn't going to just lead her to slaughter. Like Cuddy, he was obligated to at least let her know the rules of the test.

"What?" Cameron's head turned every way, looking for the man behind the voice. The goblin lunged at her, sharp, pointed teeth chopping at her arm.

"Focus." Bob warned.

Cameron put all her focus on the goblin. His eyes were so tiny. What on earth was she going to use to poke them out? She looked around frantically as it lunged again, this time making contact and ripping into her arm with his teeth. "Ahhh!" Cameron screamed as the blood began to trickle and the pain burned through her.

There was a tree. She ran for it, and jumped up to grab a branch. She snapped the thin branch off. It wasn't as long as she would have liked, but it should work. She started jabbing it toward the goblin.

One of his large hands finally managed to grab the twig and he snapped it in half. Now it was no larger than a ruler. She started to cry, but kept fighting. The goblin, not know to be the greatest fighters, was flailing his long arms around hoping to hit something. He finally managed to scratch his long, sharp nails across her pretty face. She let out a cry of pain as the goblin danced around happily.

Bob watched with great concern. His arms folded over his chest. He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Nualaragie, go home," Bob commanded, waving his ghostly arm.

The goblin growled, but scurried away quickly.

"I could have handled him," Cameron protested.

"You are not the Chosen One. You'd better run home before you get hurt." He vanished in a puff of smoke.


	60. Chapter 59

**CHAPTER FIFTY NINE**

Bob couldn't wait to break the good news to Cuddy. He swooshed into her bedroom without knocking, not that he could knock even if he had thought of it. "Wake up sleeping beauty," he whispered in her ear, for which he got a stake through the heart. Luckily he was already dead so it just shot through him. "You know you could hurt someone with that thing?"

"Yeah, well, it's not the greatest idea to sneak into women's bedrooms and whisper in their ear while they're sleeping."

Bob pulled himself back together. "Most women aren't quite that lethal. Oh, that's what I came to tell you." His eyes lit up with excitement.

"That most women wouldn't stake you through the heart?"

"No. That that little doctor girl...oh, her name doesn't matter. She's not the next Chosen One."

"It's still me then," Cuddy wasn't exactly as thrilled as Bob was.

"It's still you then. Isn't that great?"

"I still have to spend every night patrolling the streets of Princeton, getting attacked, and trying to rescue my friend from almost certain doom. Yeah, great." She rolled over and put the pillow over her head. "Goodnight Bob," she mumbled through the pillow.

Bob mingled around in frustration. He couldn't move the pillow, he couldn't throw things at her, he couldn't pull her out from her hiding place. All he could do was shout very loud. "Where'd Harry go?"

Cuddy pulled the pillow closer to her head.

"I said, where'd Harry go?" Bob shouted a little louder. When he got no reaction he decided to take extreme measures. He held out his hand and slowly started to slip in through her flesh.

"Get OUT!" Cuddy screamed and threw the pillow through him. "I can't believe you were going to do that again."

"You weren't answering me." Bob said innocently.

"Because I have nothing to say. I don't know where Harry went. I thought you did."

"And it doesn't concern you that he's gone?" Bob pondered this.

"Harry is a big boy Bob. He can take care of himself. And Murphy seems competent enough to back him up."

"Still, to leave without saying anything..."

"Is exactly like Harry."

"What about your little boyfriend?" Bob was bored; he didn't want her to go to sleep.

"He's not my boyfriend Bob, and he's probably at home, asleep, like I was before you showed up."

"You don't have to thank me," he drolled.

"I hadn't planned on it. Do you have anything useful to tell me?"

"Just that I love you." He blew her a kiss. "Oh, yes, and I think Harry went to see his godmother. So, do you still think he's going to be fine?"

"Lea? Why would he go see her?" This was bad news. Lea was a particularly treacherous fairy. Why Harry's mother had chosen her as godmother was still a mystery.

"To find a way to help you presumably."

"He's not going to do anything stupid is he?"

"You need to ask?"

"Crap, Bob, I can't go after him. Do you have any idea how many creatures there want me dead?"

"Probably as many as want Harry dead."

"No Bob. Harry's just a nuisance to them. But if someone from the other side takes me out, they'll be heralded as royalty, as gods."

"So you're just going to let him sell his soul to Satan's mistress?"

"He wouldn't...he couldn't be that stupid."

"He's Harry." Bob smiled fondly at the thought of his extremely stupid protégé. Harry meant well, and he was actually very smart, street smart even, but he had some sort of savior complex, and when it came to rescuing people, he had done a long list of boneheaded things.


	61. Chapter 60

**CHAPTER SIXTY**

"This is where we part ways Murphy." Harry and Murphy stood in the middle of no where. Murphy didn't think New Jersey was big enough to have this much open space.

"No." She said stubbornly. "We're in this together. You can't ditch me now."

"I'm not ditching you Murphy. It's just, where I'm going; it's not a place for mortals."

"Mortals?" She snorted. "What are you, some kind of god now?"

"I'm not a god. I'm just a guy with a lot of magical talent. But with that magic comes some things that just make me different. I have access to a world you can't even imagine."

"Try me." Murphy folded her arms over her chest.

"Come on Murph, don't make this any harder on me."

"Why did you even bring me with you Harry?"

"I need you to stay here and, bring me back if I get in trouble."

"Bring you back? From where?"

"From the other side." Oh, she wasn't going to like this at all.

"The other side of what?" Murphy refused to back down.

"Just the other side, Murphy. Look, are you going to help me? Are you going to do what I ask? Or are you going to keep asking questions you know I can't answer?"

Murphy wanted to keep asking, but she knew Harry too well. Once he shut down, she was never going to get him to open up again. "What do you need me to do?" She resigned herself to the task at hand.

"Take this ring, put it on."

"Are you proposing to me?" She watched in horror as he slid the ring onto her finger.

"God no." He turned bright red. "Look, when the ring turns green, I'm in danger. Read this..." he shoved an old piece of parchment at her. "Out loud. You have to read it exactly as it's printed there."

Murphy unrolled the parchment. "Harry, come back to me? That's what you want me to read?"

"Magic doesn't have to be all ancient languages and unpronounceable words. You just have to mean it when you say it, and say it exactly like that, each word. You got it?"

"Yeah Harry, I think I can handle it." She rolled up the parchment and put it in her pocket.

"No. Hold it. When the ring turns green you have to READ it, not just say the words, unroll the parchment and read it. It's important, okay?"

"Okay, okay, you don't have to hit me over the head with it." Murphy pulled the parchment out and unrolled it again. She stared at it exaggeratedly. "Better?"

"Much. Thanks." Harry didn't want to argue. He was already worked up enough about seeing his godmother after all this time. "Okay, ready?"

"For what?"

In answer, Harry waved his hands around wildly until a large black hole appeared before them. He took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness. As he stepped further into the other side, he turned to look at Murphy. Her eyes were huge, her mouth hung open in disbelief. He waved as the hole began to close around him.

Murphy called out his name, begged him to come back, but as the whole slowly closed, her voice became more faint. Soon Harry was immersed in what some people referred to as the other side, others called it the NeverNever, but what it really was, was Hellanto, a stepping stone to hell, the place between worlds, it was the last place he wanted to be.


	62. Chapter 61

**CHAPTER SIXTY ONE**

It took a moment for Harry's eyes to adjust to the new world. For the most part it was similar to the world he lived in, there was ground and sky and different types of vegetation, but the ground was black and the sky was red and the vegetation resembled nothing a mortal like Murphy had ever seen before.

In a matter of minutes after the portal closed, Harry heard hoof prints. It was Lea. She would have felt him pass through. She had a way of knowing when he was near. He took a deep breath and felt for the shield bracelet fastened tightly around his wrist. It really wasn't enough to defend himself against her, but it gave him a certain sense of protection. It had been his mothers.

"My darling Harry," the most beautiful, statuesque, reddest redhead rode toward him on the back of a powerful looking Centaur.

"Godmother." Harry bowed out of respect. She was expecting it.

She dismounted, and after giving Harry a look of disgust, the Centaur cantered off. "I've been waiting for you."

"Then you know why I've come here?" Harry wasn't convinced this was a good thing.

"I know why you do everything you do Harry, you're a hero. You can't help yourself."

"Will you help me?" He didn't want to get sucked into her games. He just wanted to get an answer and get out of there.

"I will answer three questions in exchange for another year of your service." She had made him this offer once before, and he had taken it to save a friend. Last time he'd managed to get out of fulfilling his full sentence, on a technicality. This time he wasn't sure he'd be so lucky.

"You will fully and truthfully answer any three questions I have in exchange for my working for you for a year."

"Any year I choose."

"Fine, any year you choose."

"Then you have a deal Godson." Lea ran one cold, pale hand along his cheek. "What would you like to know first?"

Harry had thought out his questions in advance. He had a feeling she was going to make him this exact offer. "Why do the Demon's Erohs and Eitak want to kill Dr. Gregory House?"

Lea laughed musically. The Centaur who'd been waiting nearby looked over at her and smiled. Harry had a feeling the poor creature was under one of her spells. As beautiful as she was, there was no way anyone could love the cold hearted fairy. No way.

"They don't." Lea smiled as Harry's heart sunk. He'd worded his question poorly and given her an out.

"Why are they going after him?" His curiosity had gotten the better of him and blown his plan to hell.

"He is an important piece of a very important puzzle."

"Not good enough. You said you would answer my questions fully."

Lea nodded her head slowly, sensuously. "I did." She smiled. "Gregory House was given a gift when he was born, he was given knowledge of something powerful, something that could change our worlds forever. Erohs and Eitak want that knowledge."

"You have to tell me what it is." He was careful not to make it a question, his last question.

"I cannot. I do not know what it is. I only know that Erohs and Eitak will do anything to get it, so it must be very valuable."

"I suppose so." Harry was kicking himself for asking that second question. He didn't mean to. He had to think fast.

"You've got one more question Godson." Lea waited patiently.

"How can the Chosen One stop Erohs and Eitak?" He felt his body tense up. He had to be ready.

"She can't." Lea smiled.

"Oh no, you've got to answer the question fully Lea. It's part of the deal."

"She will need help." Lea was stepping toward him. Harry took a step back.

"From whom?" Harry had forgotten himself for a moment. The look in his Godmother's eyes sent a chill down his spine. "Oh, look at the time. I've really got to run." Harry ran, fast, as fast as he could. It wouldn't take Lea long to catch up with him, and when she did she was NOT going to be happy. The only thing that pissed a fairy off more than not having total world domination was being tricked, and if Harry managed to get back to the other side, she couldn't force him to fulfill his end of the deal.

A sound of fury rushed past him along with a hot wind from Lea's mouth. It was as close to breathing fire as any creature other than a dragon could manage.

He heard the clomping sound of the Centaur bearing down on him. Harry tried to run faster, cursing his legs for their inadequacy.

In another world Murphy stood, staring off into the sky. Harry had been gone for hours on her side of the long gone portal. She noticed the glow of green coming from the ring almost immediately and began stuttering the lines from the parchment. She had to stay it three times before she got it just right.

The portal began to open slowly, swirling a black hole into the peaceful countryside. She felt a burst of hot air blow through it. Then she saw the form of a man hurling through the air and falling hard at her feet.

"Close it! Close IT!" Harry yelled from the ground.

"How?" Murphy turned over the parchment to see if anything was on the other side. It was blank.

"Backwards," Harry shouted.

Murphy just stood staring at the radiant figure that was standing calmly on the threshold between two worlds.

"You've been a very bad boy Harry Dresden." Lea scolded, bending down to meet his eye. "I was going to wait and let you do your year sometime down the road, but now I think I'll take my payment." She pulled him to his feet and dragged him back through the portal.

Murphy had recovered enough to start shooting at the fairy and the half horse half man she was standing next to, who now had a semi conscious Harry slung over it's back.

"NOOOO!" Murphy screamed, hurling herself through the now closing portal.

The last thing she heard before passing out was the high, tinkling laughter of the fairy, and the bitter groan of Harry Dresden. "Why'd you go and do that Murphy?"


	63. Chapter 62

**CHAPTER SIXTY TWO**

Foreman walked up to the bars that held Wilson prisoner. "What the hell were you doing?" He was not happy.

"I...House asked me to..." Wilson had no idea how to explain his late night rendezvous with a vampire, or the reasons behind it.

"House." Foreman hated that name. "I should have known he'd have something to do with this. "Does he have Cuddy spying on Cameron and Dr. Lucas from Ortho spying on Chase?"

"Why Dr. Lucas?" Wilson couldn't help asking.

"I don't know." Foreman's anger was deepening. "Just tell me what you were doing at my parent's house and I'll drop the charges."

"Charges? You pressed charges?"

"YOU were found creeping around in the bushes outside my parent's house. Of course I pressed charges."

"But it's me, Dr. Wilson."

"The nurse's might find you adorably charming, but I don't Dr. Wilson. So tell me what you were doing there or spend the night in jail."

Wilson thought about his options. He could call House but he'd never live it down, and there was no guarantee House would get him out anyway. "Fine. I saw you, coming out of that alley. I was curious, so I followed you. You looked troubled."

"That's none of your business." Foreman snapped.

"No. It's not. And I'm sorry, but I was concerned."

"I don't need your concern." Foreman was at the boiling point.

Wilson watched the young man. He'd always admired Foreman's ability to remain composed. Working with House was enough to drive anyone to the edge, but Foreman seemed to manage it better than most. That's what made his current mood all the more frightening.

"Look, whatever is going on," Wilson saw a crack in Foreman's resolve "or not going on, it's none of my business, but if you need someone to talk to... look, I don't tell House everything. You can trust me."

"Guard!" Foreman yelled turning his back to Wilson.

The guard came trudging into the room. It was the end of his shift. "What?"

"I'm not pressing charges. You can let him go." Foreman headed out the door.

It took a while for Wilson to be processed. By the end of the ordeal he was no longer tired. He found himself wondering the streets, deep in thought.

Cameron was the last person he had expected to see. "Dr. Wilson!" She seemed equally surprised.

"What are you doing out here?" Wilson looked her over. She was all dressed in black, her hair pulled back in a tight bun. She seemed even more tense than usual.

"I'm working." She kept glancing around furtively.

"As what?" There was no way House would send her out here alone. Not even he was that cruel. Princeton was no longer safe for anyone. Then what the hell was he doing out here alone? He suddenly wanted to get in doors very badly.

"I'm the new slayer." Cameron announced proudly.

"The huh?" Wilson had to think about that for a moment. "Oh. Really?" That was unexpected.

"Yes. But don't tell anyone. I don't want them to know until I'm ready." Cameron heard a noise in the bushes and tensed her body in that direction.

"Sure."

"You don't believe me?" She put her hands on her hips.

"No, sure I do. I'm just surprised. Bob made it sound like Cuddy was the last one."

"Well, apparently Bob doesn't know everything." She snipped.

"He knows a lot though." Wilson was in awe of Bob. He'd never met a ghost before. He'd never believed they existed.

"You should go home." Cameron looked agitatedly at her watch, then up and down the street.

"So should you." Wilson tried to take her arm but she pulled it away.

"I'm meeting someone."

"Here?" He looked around at the deserted street. "Now?" He looked at his watch. It was almost 3 AM.

"Yes." She emphasized. "So go home before you get hurt."

Wilson's pride had already been hurt. "I can stay with you, just till your d...just till he gets here."

"I don't need a babysitter. I've got this." She pulled out a metal rod and a crucifix.

"I can tell you now, that's not going to work." Wilson pointed to the crucifix. "Seems very few vampires are Christian."

"It's not about what the vampire believes. If I put my Faith in the Cross, then it will work."

"I thought you were an atheist."

Cameron looked at her watch again. "Would you just go home!"

"Your friend won't mind, if I wait with you." Wilson just couldn't leave a young woman alone on the street in the middle of the night with a good conscious.

"She will. Now GO!" Cameron made a threatening gesture toward Wilson and he finally gave in and headed off.

He got as far as the first corner, where he found a nice place to hide and watch.

Cameron looked around nervously again, then at her watch, then at a small movement she caught out of the corner of her eye. Wilson ducked quickly out of sight.

A couple more minutes passed, and Cameron headed off behind a row of buildings. Wilson followed at a safe distance.

There was a small alley behind the row of shops. It was blocked from view and Wilson had to climb up the fire ladder and onto the roof to get a view of what was going on.

Cameron pulled out a sheet of paper and unfolded it on the ground, then she pulled out a small piece of chalk and began to draw a circle. She put some symbols inside it, referencing the sheet of paper she had with her. She pulled a few candles out of her messenger back and scattered them around the circle, lighting each one as she mumbled something under her breath. Then she stood up and, with the paper in hand, began chanting some indecipherable language.

Wilson watched in awe and horror as something formed inside the circle. It wasn't a sudden puff of smoke, or that wispy thing Bob did. It was more like something charging forward from very far away. It grew bigger and bigger as Cameron continued to chant.

Suddenly a haggard looking old woman stood inside the circle, fury on her face.

"Are you the Demon Retsmah?" Cameron's voice was shaky but strong.

"Aye." The crone said in a voice that matched her ancient appearance.

"I am in need of your help." Cameron spoke slowly. She had read in the book that she had to be very careful with her words so she'd practiced it all out in her head.

"Ah, you seek the love of a man." The hag cackled.

"Not just any man." Cameron clarified. "I've someone very specific in mind."

Wilson strained to hear what they were saying, but he was too far away, and their voices were too soft to be heard. He just wondered why the thing wasn't attacking Cameron, or even what it was.

"And who might you like me to bewitch?"

"Dr. Gregory Joseph House." Cameron spoke the name clearly and precisely.

"A doctor." The crone smiled a toothless grin. "You young girls and your doctors. Will you never learn?"

"He's not just a doctor. He's the man I love." Cameron protested.

"Of course he is, otherwise you wouldn't be willing to sell your soul to me in exchange for his love."

Wilson grabbed the edge of the roof. He'd pushed himself just a little too far and nearly fallen off. He looked nervously at the two women. They hadn't seemed to notice anything. They were deep in conversation.

"What will happen to me, exactly?" This was the part Cameron was still unsure about.

"When it is your time to die, my dear, you will become one of my children, you will do my bidding for 100 years, then you will truly die."

That didn't sound so bad. 100 years of servitude in exchange for House's love.

"And he will love me forever?"

"As long as you both shall live." The decrepit old woman cackled gently. These young girls, they would never learn.

"I'll do it." Cameron had to. It was for House's own good. She only wanted to help him. She could make him happy.

"Very well my dear girl. Let me out of this circle and I will make him yours." The demon looked her straight in the eye. Cameron had been taught that if someone looked you in the eye they were telling the truth, so with her foot she gently swished away the chalk in a small section of the circle.

Retsmah pushed the girl down and too off down the street. Cameron watched her vanish, then began to blow out her candles.

Wilson started back down to the ground. He was going to go help her, but by the time he got down there she was gone.


	64. Chapter 63

**CHAPTER SIXTY THREE**

Several days passed with no incident. It seemed as though whatever was troubling Princeton had passed. This was making Cuddy more anxious than ever. She was snapping at the staff, neglecting her paperwork, and spending all her time locked away in her office. The staff started a betting pool about what was going on. Good money was on man trouble, a few went for the pregnancy long shot, while a couple thought she'd finally snapped under the pressure of her position as they knew she would because she never should have been chosen in the first place. House put money on his own option, which was that she was being hunted down by vampires and was too busy trying to save the world to worry about the ins and outs of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. They all humored him and took his money.

Cuddy paced her office. "It's been three days Bob."

"Yes, I know." Bob watched her sadly.

"His phone isn't working."

"Never does."

"I want to go find him." Cuddy felt a new resolve building up inside her.

"That's not a good idea."

"It was YOUR idea Bob!"

"I know. But I've since changed my mind." Bob looked around the room at nothing that one could see with the naked eye. "Can't you feel it Lisa? Something is building. All the penny anti creatures are gone. That can only mean one thing. Something BIG is coming." Bob shivered.

"How big Bob?" She braced herself for the answer.

"I do believe we will soon meet our vengeful demons." Now, there were many levels of Demon milling about in Hellanto. Many of them were no big, so long as you knew the proper containment spells to keep them in line. Some could only be controlled by a truly powerful wizard or sorcerer, and then there were the Omnis. Small in number the Omnidemon's were impossible to control and impossible to kill. House's special enemies, Erohs and Eitak fell into that category.

"Oh. Great." Cuddy was beyond reaction. She just stood there and looked at her long dead mentor. "I hope they're not expecting a welcome mat."

"They're expecting total destruction, and that's what they'll get if you get caught up in Harry's drama. Let him deal with Lea. You've got to prepare yourself for what's coming."

Cuddy wasn't sure about this. She loved Harry very much, and she had a lot of respect for his power, but Harry was a bit of a loose canon, a hot head, and that came out in spades when he was dealing with his fairy godmother. She truly brought out the worst in him.

"Stop thinking about it." Bob looked at her. Sometimes Cuddy thought he could read her mind. Was that a side effect of his visiting her mind last month?

"He could be in trouble."

"Yes he could. He probably is, actually, but he's been in trouble countless times before, and despite his irrationality at times, he is a clever boy. He'll find a way out of his own mess. Now, shall we get back to work?"

Cuddy pouted, but sat down and listened to another lecture from the great Hrothbert of Bainbridge. He sure did like to hear the should of his own voice. His dulcet tones filled her head as she drifted off to sleep.

In the foggy distance of her mind she saw Harry Dresden. He was standing over a body, Murphy's body. Lea was gliding up from behind him, smiling as she moved effortlessly through the fog. Harry didn't seem to see her. Cuddy wanted to warn him, but he spoke first.

"They're not trying to kill him, they want him for something, you need help."

"From who?" Cuddy whispered in her sleep as Bob looked on curiously.

"Find their equals..." Harry faded away as Lea finally engulfed him in darkness.

Cuddy gasped and woke up. She felt Bob's eyes bearing down on her. "What is equal to the Demons?"

"Excuse me?" Bob wasn't sure he understood the question.

"Erohs and Eitak. Who or what are their equals?"

"Why?"

"Harry says we need to find their equals and get them to help us." Cuddy felt certain this was more than just a dream.

Bob laughed unsettlingly. "They have no equals...none that would help us anyway." 

"Bob! Who?"

"Well, their fellow Omnidemons are the only ones I can think of. But there's no way to contact them, and they would never help a mortal without a huge payment."

"Find a way Bob. The Demon's are after House for something. I think the whole world is in danger. Possibly both worlds."

"Oh." Bob was suddenly more interested. "This could be bad."

"Ya think?"


	65. Chapter 64

CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR 

Wilson decided not to tell House about what he'd witnessed the other night. Whatever Cameron had done seemed to have stopped all the attacks and weirdness of the past few months. If she didn't want anyone to know, then he would respect that. His decision changed quickly, however, when he discovered that House was going out on a proper date with her.

"This is sudden, isn't it?" Wilson watched as his best friend got dressed for his big night.

"I guess." House didn't seem too concerned with the total change of his own character.

"Last week you didn't even like her, now you're going out with her?"

"I made a promise. You want me to go back on that?" House held up two ties. Wilson pointed to the red one.

"You break your promises to me all the time."

"That's different." House put the tie on and fiddled with it for a while until Wilson finally gave in and tied it for him.

"Why?" Wilson stood back and admired his work.

"Because, you're...Wilson." House shrugged into his jacket. "How do I look?"

"Why do you care?"

"I said this was going to be a real date. I have to look good." House realized he was sounding very unHouselike. "There might be a hot chick at the next table." That ought to cover it.

Wilson narrowed his eyes. "You like her."

"Do not!" House snapped.

"House, there's something you should know..." Wilson wasn't sure about this, so he trailed off as he thought what to say.

"I've got to go. Don't want to be late." House's eyes grew wide. "I mean, I want to get this over with as soon as possible, you know." He smiled weakly then hurried for the door.

"House, wait!" Wilson grabbed the door. House tried to pull it open, but Wilson stood his ground. He was surprisingly strong when he had to be. "I have to tell you something."

"I know." House patted his pocket. "Ribbed. I've got plenty, so don't worry."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant." He then made a face as the thought of House and Cameron needing condoms invaded his mind. He shook it off. "Cameron thinks she's the new Chosen One. She met something in an alley."

"Oh, that's nice and vague." House tugged at the door again, and tried hitting Wilson in the shin with his cane. This just made Wilson lean his back against the door. "I will climb out the window you know."

"No you won't. Listen. Is Bob absolutely certain she's not the next...Slayer?"

"Yep." House resigned himself to entrapment and leaned against the wall.

"Well, she thinks she is, and what I saw the other night makes me think she is too." Wilson explained in detail Cameron's summoning of the Demon, though he couldn't hear what they had discussed.

"Interesting." House said disinterestedly. "Can I go now?"

"Yes. Just be careful."

"I told you I had protection." House shook his head in exasperation.

"That's not what I'm worried about."

Wilson watched his friend leave, then went to the phone and made a call.

"Hi, Cuddy, is Bob with you? I really need to talk to him. Yeah, I know he can't pick up the phone. Can I come over? I'll be right there."

Wilson sped the whole way to Cuddy's house. Something was eating at the back of his mind. Something just didn't feel right to him.

"What's so urgent?" Cuddy opened the door and was nearly knocked over by Wilson.

"House went out with Cameron." Wilson was catching his breath.

"Yes, I know. He told me all about it." She didn't sound concerned. Maybe Wilson was just overacting.

"Look, where's Bob?" Bob materialized near the sofa. "Bob, does the name Retsmah mean anything to you?"

Bob looked startled. "How do you know that name?"

"I saw Cameron talking to her...it a few nights ago."

"Oh really?" Bob looked over at Cuddy knowingly, then smiled. "Retsmah is a Passion Demon. Women sell their souls to her in exchange for the love of a man." He was staring hard at Cuddy.

"No. She wouldn't." Cuddy shook the idea off, again. When Bob had brought it up the first time she thought it was absurd. House was interested in Cameron, that was all. She was happy for them.

"Apparently she did." Bob replied calmly.

"Sold her soul?" Wilson was in a panic. "What the hell does that mean?"

"That means, that as soon as Retsmah finds a way to kill her, your little friend will become a Vengeance Demon and will seek vengeance on anyone her 'true love' cares about." Bob looked at Wilson and Cuddy pointedly. They looked nervously at each other.

"So, um, how do we stop it?" Wilson didn't like the idea of getting his ass kicked by a Demonic Cameron some day.

"You must break the curse." Bob looked at Cuddy and an idea began to formulate in his mind. "Someone must win his heart."

"Why are you looking at me?" She narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Because I doubt Wilson can do it, and his last girlfriend tried to suck out his soul. You're the only one we can trust." Bob was laughing on the inside. If she bought this story she was more gullible than he'd given her credit for.

"You have to do it Cuddy." Wilson was plenty gullible. He had to be, he was House's friend.

"There's got to be another way. You're lying." She really was trying hard not to believe this. "Bob, this is no time for one of your little pranks."

"This isn't a prank Lisa. As long as House is under this curse, he isn't thinking clearly. This girl is probably a plant. I wouldn't be surprised if Erohs and Eitak are behind this, trying to weaken House's resolve with a pretty young girl so that he'll willingly come to them."

Cuddy started pacing again. House was right, it did help you think. "What am I supposed to do? Seduce him? If he's under her spell it won't work. No, there's got to be another way."

"Well, seducing him is only part of it. Once you seduce him, you have to give him a potion I'll teach you to make, then he will be free from the curse."

"Can't I just give him the potion?" Cuddy was determined to avoid the seduction part.

"Well, yeah, but where's the fun in that." Bob gave in. She probably wouldn't have let him watch anyway.

Cuddy threw a pillow through him. It wasn't as satisfying as actually hitting him, but watching his vapor disburse momentarily made her feel a little better at least.

"Wait, so she's not seducing him?" Wilson was trying to catch up. His mind had gone from images of House and Cameron to images of House and Cuddy to images of himself with Cameron and Cuddy. Needless to say, he hadn't heard much of what was going on.

"No." Bob moped. "She's chicken."

"That's not going to work Bob."

He smiled. "It used to."

"When I was thirteen." She laughed. "So, about this potion?"

"Right. Dr. Wilson, can you run to the hospital and pick up a few things?" Bob gave Wilson a list of items he needed to make the potion. As Wilson ran his errand, Bob filled Cuddy in on how to administer it. He also noted that it was important that the potion be given before Cameron consummated her curse on House.

"Then we don't have much time Bob. He's on a date with her now."


	66. Chapter 65

**CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE**

Cameron gazed across the table. House looked so handsome, and he'd worn a tie. She couldn't remember ever seeing him in a tie, and she would have remembered if she had. This night must be as special for him as it was for her.

"Should we split an appetizer?" Dreams of sucking on the same string of spaghetti as their lips got closer and closer filled her mind.

"Get whatever you want." House looked at her. She was a beautiful girl. All doe eyed and nubile. He should have asked her out months ago. Why hadn't he? Something was nagging at the back of his mind. Something was telling him there must be a reason, but his vision was too clouded with lust to find it.

"Are you nervous?" She was, but not as much as he seemed to be.

"Look. I took you out because you asked me to." Something twisted around inside of him. "I...yes, I'm nervous."

To fill the uncomfortable void that had fallen between them, Cameron began talking about her childhood, her older brother John, her little sister Michele. She told him about her marriage to Daniel and his tragic death at age 23.

"Sad." House looked around the room. It was the kind of restaurant where no one looked like they were having a good time. It was too classy a place for good times.

"Are you listening to me?" Cameron wondered why he wasn't hanging on her every word.

"Yes." House answered snippily.

"Do you love me House? I need to know?" She looked at him with those big doe eyes he used to hate.

"Yes," he said with no passion at all.

Cameron smiled brightly and for a moment he thought he might see a reason for his feelings, but it faded as she continued to speak.

"Why aren't you enjoying yourself? Why can't you just open yourself up to the possibility that you can be happy?"

"I am enjoying myself." He plastered a false smile across his face.

She spent several more minutes analyzing why he was so miserable while he played with his fork and knife, trying to balance them together to make an upside down V. It wasn't working. The ends were too rounded for the utensils to really stay balanced.

"You don't know how much I've given up for you." Cameron slammed her hand down on the silverware to catch his attention.

"What?" He processed her words. "I never asked you to give up anything."

"Not in words." She looked at him sincerely, "but your heart is crying out for help Greg, can't you hear it? It's desperate for someone to heal it." She put her hand on his. His first instinct was to pull away, but he didn't. He felt compelled by some unseen force to let her touch him.

"I have no heart." House announced blandly. Sometimes he wished that were true.

"Gregory, please, I know you, I understand you. You try so hard to hide who you really are. You're afraid people will take advantage of your compassion..."

"My what?" House looked at her in actual confusion. Who was she talking about?

"You're a good man Gregory House. You just need someone you can feel safe with, someone who will protect you and help you feel good about yourself again..."

"Good about myself? I think I'm a god!" House's ego was not bruised or damaged or in need of a good woman.

"You're hiding." She smiled warmly at him. You've been hiding for so long now you don't even know you're doing it." She leaned in for a kiss. Every muscle in his body tried to lean in to receive it, but something in his head was screaming for him to run the other way. Something in his heart told him this wasn't what he wanted. He leaned in.

Just as their lips met his phone rang, filling the quiet restaurant with a blaring rendition of Bad to the Bone. House pulled away quickly. "I should get that. Could be an emergency."

House fumbled for his phone. Cameron sat across from him, fuming.

"Hello?"

Cameron's foot slid across House's ankle and he shivered.

"House, get away from her."

Cameron's foot slipped under his pant leg and her toes were rubbing against his hairy leg.

"She has you under a spell." Cuddy knew it sounded ridiculous, but hoped that after all they'd been through, he believed her.

"Yes, I see." House tried to sound non-committal, as if Foreman were relaying some symptoms to him. "What do you think I can do about it?" He snitted, knowing Cuddy would understand what he was doing.

"Don't have sex with her," Cuddy hastily answered.

"You want to do it yourself?" House smiled. Cameron thought it was her doing, so her foot crept it's way up to his knee. It was now pulling at the fabric of his pants. She couldn't go much higher.

"I want to save you from spending the rest of your life with someone you don't love."

"I think that could work."

"End the date. Meet me at your place. I have the antidote."

"I doubt that's going to be possible." House gulped as Cameron's other foot headed straight for his crotch. She was holding herself stable on the chair and smiling proudly.

"Don't have sex with her House. Don't even kiss her. I'll meet you at your place." Cuddy hung up.

"Who was that?"

"Hospital."

"You don't have a patient." She was attempting to unzip his pants with her toes.

"Consult." He shifted nervously in his chair.

"At this hour?" She laughed in a way she thought was seductively.

House summoned the waiter and paid the bill.

"Is there anything you'd like to ask me Greg?" Cameron ran her finger along his arm.

"Need money for a cab?"

"I'm going home with you Greg." She latched her arm in his as they walked out of the restaurant.

"You can't!" House tried to pull away but she tightened her grip.

"Don't be silly Greg. You want me to come over." She ran her fingers through his hair. He felt a cold chill run down his spine, but he agreed to her suggestion.


	67. Chapter 66

**CHAPTER SIXTY SIX**

Cuddy found the key House kept hidden in the bushes and let herself in. The place was dark, but she decided not to turn on the light. There was a pretty good chance that House had either not been able to get rid of Cameron, or not even tried. She had to be ready for anything. She found her way to the couch and sat down.

It wasn't too long a wait. She heard the key in the lock and tensed up. She could hear a female voice and the delicate tinkle of flirty laughter. She felt her stomach turn.

"Ladies first," House said particularly loudly as he pushed open the door. He prayed that Cuddy was behind it with something heavy.

His prayers were answered when Cameron stepped through the door and was met in the back of the head with a very heavy book. He caught her as she fell to the ground.

"Nice shot."

"Thanks for the heads up."

Cuddy took the girl and dragged her over to the couch. "Do you have anything we can tie her up with?" Cuddy had a few questions to ask the young Fellow.

"I've got some handcuffs, they're in the bedroom, hold on." House vanished down the hall.

"Of course they are." Cuddy laughed.

House returned with a pair of handcuffs. He handed them to Cuddy who secured the girls arms behind her back. "Something for her legs?"

House handed her a long silk scarf.

Cuddy held it up for a moment. "This is not your color." She laughed as she bound the pink scarf around Cameron's ankles.

"Had a visitor," he looked at the scarf, "my aunt," then at the handcuffs, "who's a cop."

"Right. Your aunt the cop wouldn't want to come help me give sleeping beauty here the third degree would she?"

"It's past her bedtime."

"Oh, does she charge double after hours?" Cuddy smiled at him knowingly. Then she pulled something out of her jacket pocket, a small vial, and shoved it at House. "Here, drink this. ALL of it. And don't complain about it either."

"What is it?" House took the vial and looked at the oddly colored liquid. It was too bright a red to be anything but a melted crayon.

"Just drink it, unless you want to be her love slave for the rest of your life."

"Hmmm." House thought about the idea...then quickly drained the vial. If he was going to be anyone's love slave, it was going to be of his own free will. "What now?" He waited to feel something.

"We wake her up and ask her a few questions." Cuddy nudged Cameron in the arm a few times until the girls eyes flickered open.

"Where am I?" She looked around.

"You're at House's apartment. You tried to seduce him with a Demon's spell. Remember?"

"I..." Cameron's eyes grew wide. She looked to House for help, but the effects of Retsmah's spell was long gone.

"He's cured." Cuddy smiled down at her. She felt little sympathy for the girl after that stunt. "Who told you about Retsmah?"

"What? How...they said you wouldn't know."

"Who's they?" House poked her with his cane. That's what the did in the movies, poking the prisoner with a nightstick.

"They." Cameron repeated. "I don't know. They came to me..."

"Men, women, both, neither?" Cuddy was already growing impatient.

"A man and a woman. They gave me a book, said I could find what I was looking for in there."

"And that's it? You didn't promise to bring them a gallon of my blood, or my head on a platter or anything?" House was furious. He'd been violated in many ways, but never so deeply. She had tried to change him in a way she had no right to.

"I...no." She shook her head emphatically.

"No promise to lure him into an abandoned building, or drive him out to a deserted street?"

"I..." Cameron looked down at her hands. "I didn't promise them anything."

"She's lying!" House pounded his cane against the floor. Both women jumped at the sudden movement.

"I am not! They only asked if I would bring them something of yours."

"A lock of hair or bit of skin?" House was fighting back the urge to do things he shouldn't do to a woman.

"No, nothing like that. Something that belongs to you, a...book."

"A book?" House and Cuddy were taken by surprise on that one. "What book?" House asked.

"Your journal, from when you were in Japan." Cameron didn't see any point in lying anymore. Who was she trying to protect?

House glared at her, then vanished into the bedroom. Cuddy looked at Cameron curiously. "Why? Cameron. Why would you want someone who didn't really want you?"

"He did want me."

"Only because you forced him too. It wasn't real. It never would have been. Why are you so fixated on House?"

"Aren't you?" Cameron snapped.

"What?"

"You're just jealous because I got him to take me out. You had your chance with him years ago and you blew it. Now you're bitter because he's interested in someone else."

"He's not interested in you Cameron. He never was. Well, maybe for a moment, but it was never going to amount to anything. And you shouldn't want it to. He's toxic. He destroys everyone who cares about him."

Cameron looked over Cuddy's shoulder at House, standing in the doorway. He said nothing. He walked over and dropped the journal on Cameron's lap. "There, take it."

"What?" Cuddy grabbed it and stood to face him. "You can't give this to her. We have to figure out what is in it that is so important to the Demons."

"There's nothing in there." House protested.

Cuddy opened it hesitantly. A strange expression crossed her face. "It's empty."

"I told you there was nothing in it."

Cuddy turned to Cameron. "Did they say why they wanted this?"

"No." She shook her head truthfully.

"Crap!" Cuddy fell down into House's favorite chair. He kind of winced, no one was allowed to sit in that chair, but let it go this once. "This doesn't make any sense."

"Cameron obviously misunderstood." 

"No I didn't. That's what they said they wanted." She nudged her head toward the book.

"Why would they want an empty book?" House mused.

Cuddy joined in his curiosity until something else struck her. "House, why would you keep an empty journal from thirty years ago?" She turned the book over and over in her hands, carefully inspecting every inch of it.

"It's very meaningful."

"Hmph. I never pictured you as the sentimental type House."

"I did," Cameron pronounced triumphantly.

"It was a gift, from an old Shinto Priest. He told me to guard it with my life and one day it would show me the way."

"The way to what?" Cuddy asked, looking at each of the thick parchment pages.

"I don't know. To enlightenment probably." House shrugged.

Cameron was struggling on the couch. "Let me go!" You have your precious book, the spell has been broken. I don't know anything else. Just let me go."

"So you can run off and tell your little Demon friends that we're on to them? Not a chance."

Cuddy pulled House aside. "What are we going to do with her?"

"I don't know. I thought you'd have a plan."

"If Harry were around I could have had him erase her memory, but I can't do it. We need a proper wizard."

"What about Bob? It's about time he did something around here."

"Bob is dead House, he can't really do much of anything."

"Then we have to find Harry." House picked up the phone.

"Who..." He held up a hand to cut her off.

"Meet me at Cuddy's house. I need your help." House relayed the address and hung up.

"Who..."

"We'll take her to your place, then we'll figure out what to do."

"Why can't we just stay here?"

"Cause I already told Foreman to meet us there."


	68. Chapter 67

**CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN**

Foreman was the one person House felt he could trust not to fall for Cameron's charms. Wilson was too much of a boy scout. One whimper from her and he'd be loosening her bonds. Chase wanted to get in her pants so badly he'd do anything she asked. Foreman, however, could barely stand her, he wouldn't give in to her pleading or promises.

Foreman arrived at Cuddy's moments before them. He waited on the front steps. He got up when he saw the car pull into the driveway. "What's this about?"

House got out of the passenger seat and opened up the back. "A little help here?" He called to Foreman.

The younger man hurried over and stopped dead when he saw his colleague tied up in the back seat, a gag was now over her mouth. "What the hell?"

"Just help get her in the house," Cuddy ordered, looking around to see if any of her neighbors were watching.

Cameron struggled and squirmed on Foreman's shoulder, but he had no trouble getting the small girl into the house. He placed her gently on the couch then turned to his boss for answers.

"She's working with the Demon's who are wreaking havoc on our fair town." House plopped down in a cushy chair.

"Are you sure?" Foreman found that a little hard to believe. Cameron? Working with the bad guys?

"We're sure." Cuddy sat on the edge of House's chair. "Bob? Come on out."

Bob wafted in through the back wall. He looked around at the strange sight before him. "You never call me out just to chat."

"I do that all the time. Right now I need to CHAT about this book." She held House's journal up to the ghost.

"Nice workmanship. Looks ancient. VERY ancient. Where'd you get it?"

Cuddy looked at House. House answered. "A priest."

"Gave this to you?" Bob sounded surprised.

"Yes. A priest gave it to me. When I was fourteen."

Bob smirked. "That's the same age Lisa was when she was given her special gift."

"It's not a special gift, it's a journal." House rolled his eyes.

"Do you know why that priest gave it to you?" Bob was inspecting the workmanship carefully.

"Cause I was special." House snarked. "Because I let him touch me in my special place."

"House!" Cuddy warned.

"Because he was being nice to a lonely, unhappy kid who wouldn't leave him alone."

Foreman grunted in the background. He had taken a seat beside Cameron, and didn't undo her bonds. "Can we do something about her?" Foreman shot their captor a dirty look. She'd been crashing herself into him trying to get his attention.

"Like what?" Cuddy was open to suggestions.

"Sleeping pills would be my suggestion," Bob said helpfully.

"I'm not going to..."

"Great idea." House dashed off into Cuddy's bedroom. Last time he'd been here, snooping around in her personal things, he'd remembered seeing some sleeping pills, in her bedside table, right next to her vibrator and a box of extended life batteries.

While House was gone, Cuddy filled him and Foreman in on what had happened. Bob paced as he listened, nodding his head hear and their and making thoughtful noises. Cuddy carried on as House ungagged Cameron and told her gently to take the pills. She only put up a mild fight before realizing that being drugged was better than being tied up and not drugged.

"Wow." Foreman thought he'd been going through a lot, but he had no idea.

"That's all they asked for? That book?" Bob found that the most interesting part of the story. Houses love problems were of no concern to him, nor was the plight of Allison Cameron.

"So she claims." Cuddy sat back down again. She was exhausted. When all this was over, if she wasn't dead, she was going to take a nap that would put Rip Van Winkle to shame.

"Well, then, we have to find out what's so important about that book." Bob mused.


	69. Chapter 68

**CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT**

Murphy opened her eyes and looked up at Harry's worried face. "What happened?"

"You crossed over. I told you not to do that Murphy."

"Sorry Harry. You looked like you were in trouble."

"I was. But now, so are you."

"So, how do we get out of this?" Murphy pulled herself to a sitting position. She looked around her. She was surrounded by lush plants and grass. She was lying on a bed made of thick grass. "Where the hell are we Harry?"

"I told you Murphy, you crossed over to Hellanto." Harry was losing patience with her questions.

"It's nicer than I thought it would be."

"Lea wanted us to be more comfortable." Harry looked around, as though saying the Fairy's name might make her suddenly show up. Sometimes it would.

"She seems nice," Murphy said half dazed.

"She's not nice Murphy. She's evil. And she's turned me into one of her evil minions, for one year anyway."

"But you have a plan, a way to get us out of here." Harry always seemed to have a plan. Sometimes they were half cocked, but part of a bad plan was better than no plan at all.

"Yeah, we wait a year, then she let's us go." Last time Harry had escaped his godmother it had cost his best friend his life. He wasn't going to risk Murphy's life to get out of a debt he agreed to in the first place.

A cold chill filled the room, then the glistening image of Lea wafted through the door. "Dearest godson, I am in need of your aid." Lea looked down at Murphy with contempt.

"Now?" Harry didn't want to leave Murphy's side. She needed more information before she could handle being alone in Hellanto.

"Now." For a second Lea's face turned hard and hideous, but the gentle ethereal beauty returned before Harry's mind could register what he'd seen.

Harry followed Lea out of the room and down a cold, dark tunnel. His belief that they were underground was now confirmed. "What do you need me to do godmother?"

"I need you to stop your little friend from finding Erohs and Eitak."

"Murphy's not loo..."

"Not Murphy." Lea swirled her hand in the air and a cloud of smoke formed. In that cloud Harry could make out Cuddy's living room. She was there with Bob and House and one of House's people. "They must not find what they are looking for. The fate of our worlds depends on it."

Harry eyed his fairy godmother suspiciously. There was one of two things going on. Either Lea knew something she wasn't telling him, and the fate of the world was in danger, or she was working with the Demons and wanted to stop any interference with whatever their plan was. Either way, he didn't like his first task as evil minion.

"You will go back and convince her to back off, or I will have to kill her." Lea touched his face with her hand and he used all his strength not to back away in repulsion. "I'm doing this for you Harry, to show you I really do care about you." Harry looked skeptical. "You know I could kill her now if I wanted to."

"You can't. She's the Chosen One. You can't interfere."

"Who do you think chose her Harry?" Lea just smiled.

"You?" Harry's head was spinning. Where the Fairies responsible for the Chosen One? He looked at her, she was just smiling stunningly. He had to look away quickly before he got lost in her mesmerizing charm. It was never a good idea to look too long at a fairy. It did things to your mind. Why hadn't she just said it she was the one? Why the vague question? "It wasn't you! You can't touch her. You need me to do your dirty work." Harry felt a brief moment of triumph.

"And you will."

"Not on your life!" Harry protested.

"No, not on mine. On your precious Murphy's." Lea's eyes sparkled. "You see, Harry, she is in my world now, so I can kill her any time I want. So if you don't get your precious Chosen One to back off, Murphy will die." Lea said it with no malice, no fury, just as a statement of fact. The lives of mortals meant so little to her that she didn't bother getting worked up about it.

Harry knew he was trapped. Lea would not hesitate to have Murphy executed in the most horrible way she could think of, and she lived in Hellanto, home to horrible things. But what was going to happen if he stopped Cuddy, if he let Erohs and Eitak go through with whatever evil plan they had in mind?

He needed to think. He needed to get away from Lea's intoxicating gaze. He agreed to his mission and was sent back to his world before he could blink an eye. He marveled at Lea's efficiency. He was dropped right in the middle of Cuddy's living room.


	70. Chapter 69

**CHAPTER SIXTY NINE**

Harry felt the cold water splash across his face. He spit into the air and tried to pull himself into a sitting position. "Murphy?" He looked around him quickly, feeling his head spin as he did. He braced himself on the floor. "Where's Murphy?"

"Calm down Harry." Cuddy was checking him for injuries.

"Where is she?" Harry wasn't about to calm down. Not until he knew.

"She's not here Harry." Bob was walking around his young friend. He was worried, but there really wasn't anything he could do.

"What do you mean...?"

House explained that only Harry had appeared out of no where in the middle of Cuddy's living room. To their knowledge, Murphy was wherever Harry left her.

"I didn't leave her!" Harry protested.

"Well, you didn't bring her with you," House retorted.

Harry tried to rise to his feet, ready to finally punch House's smug face in, but the room began to spin and he was forced to stay on the ground.

Harry explained everything that had happened to him, while Cuddy explained everything that had happened while he was gone.

"Can I see it?" Harry held his hand out, waiting for the journal.

"I don't think so." House snatched it out of Cuddy's hand. He didn't want Harry Dresden going through any of his things. House looked at Cuddy. "I need to speak to you, in the other room." House pulled her toward the bedroom. He shut the door behind them.

"I don't trust him."

"I've known him since I was a girl. He can be trusted."

"You trust everybody. That's your problem." House sat on the edge of her bed. "You heard him, Murphy is in trouble. Are you sure he won't screw you over to save her?"

Cuddy frowned as she thought about it. "No." The truth shot through her like a bullet.

"I don't trust any of them." House was flipping through the pages of his empty journal.

"What..." she trailed off as she followed his gaze to the window. "You think we should run away?"

"Not away." House got up and walked over to her closet. He opened the door. "Is there anyone in that room that you trust 100, that you know doesn't have an ulterior motive?" He pulled a suitcase out of the back of her closet and tossed it on the bed. "Your little pal Dresden is trying to save his girlfriend." He waited for her to make some comment, but she didn't. "Foreman, well, Wilson said Foreman was up to something pretty strange. Cameron, we know she's been working with the other side."

"Where are we going?" Cuddy watched as he opened her top dresser drawer. He pulled out a thong and fondled it rather lasciviously. Cuddy grabbed the thong from his hand and pushed him out of the way. She proceeded to pack without his help.

"I don't know." House looked around. "Can you be sure Bob isn't in here spying on us?" House looked under the bed for some strange reason.

"He's not." She shook her head. "I'd feel him. Besides, he's distracted with Harry."

"Exactly!" House hurried her up then grabbed the suitcase and zipped it up when he thought she had enough stuff. "Let's go."

"How?"

House walked over to the window and opened it. She watched as he hurled the suitcase out the window. "We'll go to Wilson's for the night, then set out from there in the morning."

"Harry's going to be able to track us." Cuddy informed him as he motioned her to help him out the window.

House frowned as he looked back at her. He was half in, half out of the window. "How?"

"Magic House. He's a wizard, remember?" He didn't react to her snotty answer so she explained further. "He can cast a tracking spell, use something of mine to track where I've gone."

"Is there no way to stop him?" House didn't like that at all.

"Stay far enough ahead of him that he doesn't catch up." She shoved House out the window. She cringed when she heard him hit the ground with a thud.

"No Wilson's then?" House didn't like the idea of that.

"There's only one other option." Cuddy pulled herself through the window. 

"And that would be..." House extended a hand to help her up off the ground.

"We go to the other side." She did not sound happy about that.

"Other side...you mean where Harry just came from? With the monsters and evil fairy god mothers?"

"And Demons." Cuddy grabbed her suitcase and followed House out toward the road.

While she'd packed, he called Wilson. They waited on the corner, a few houses down from Cuddy's place.

"Right. Let's take the fight to their turf. Nothing like giving your enemy the advantage."

"Running away was your idea House, not mine."

"Because you've got untrustworthy friends."

"At least I have friends." Cuddy frowned as the impact of her reply was lessened by the arrival of House's only friend.

"What's up?" Wilson rolled down the window and stuck his head out of the car.

"Just drive." House shoved Cuddy into the backseat and climbed in front with Wilson.

"Where to?" Wilson stepped on the gas and took off down the street.

"Doesn't matter. Just drive."

"Somewhere crowded," Cuddy called up from the back seat. "It will be harder to trace me in a crowd."

"Trace you?" Wilson questioned.

"Harry's going to come after us as soon as they figure out we're gone..."

"Did you elope?" Wilson asked excitedly.

"No!" Cuddy protested.

"We're going renegade." House said somewhat excitedly.

"Great." Wilson sounded doubtful.

On the ride to somewhere crowded that they hadn't figured out yet, House filled his friend in on everything as Cuddy slept soundly in the back.


	71. Chapter 70

**CHAPTER SEVENTY**

Cuddy woke to the sound of honking horns and sirens. She pulled herself up and looked out the window. Tall buildings surrounded the car. She heard House's snoring over the sounds of the city.

"New York City, good choice." She leaned over the seat and looked at Wilson.

"You said crowded." Wilson's eyes were blurred and big bags formed under them.

"How long have you been driving? Pull over. I'll drive for a while."

"It's only been about nine hours." Wilson wasn't sure he could pull over. His fingers felt like they would never straighten again, his leg was cramped from resting against the gas peddle not to hard, but not too lightly.

"Pull over Wilson." Cuddy ordered him. She was still his boss. Wilson did as she asked and they switched places. "How long has he been out?" She nodded toward House.

"Only about an hour or so." Wilson leaned back. It felt good to not be driving. "Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure yet." Cuddy put on her blinker and turned down a side street. She hated the traffic on Fifth Ave.

She looked at the clock on the dashboard. Harry must have started tracking her by now. She wondered what was going through his mind. Did he realize she didn't trust him and ran, or did he worry that someone or something had gotten her? For a moment she thought about calling him, letting him know she was alright, but that moment passed when she heard House moaning from the passenger seat.

"Why are you driving?" He looked over at her, then he looked in the back. Wilson was already asleep.

"Because Wilson deserves a break House. You should have offered."

"I was tired."

"Apparently."

"Is it safe to stop for food?" House felt his stomach rumbling loudly.

"Yes. We've probably got about a half hour head start on them, and it would have taken a little while for Harry to work the spell, and he'll be slowed down by the confusion of the city. I think we can spare an hour or so for food."

"Good." House tossed a penny at Wilson. "We're going to get some food."

"Great," Wilson mumbled not quite realizing it.

They found a small diner downtown. They had to park in a nearby lot, and Wilson had to shell out a small fortune for the honor, but the finally found themselves at a small table, large plates of food in front of them.

"So, you're really going to this hell place?" Wilson scooped a forkful of omelet into his mouth.

"Yep." House chomped on his toast.

"I am going there." Cuddy corrected. "You two can stay here, get a hotel room, paint the town red for all I care. You're not coming with me."

"The hell I'm not!" House hadn't come all this way to be ditched now. "Those Demons are after me. The second your back is turned, they'll get me. You want that on your conscious?"

"Oh." Crap. She hadn't thought of that. "Fine, you're coming with me. Wilson, you..."

"No way!" Wilson wanted in on the action. "I just drove around for nine hours straight. I'm not going to get left behind."

"Wilson, please," she pleaded. "I'm going to have enough to worry about," she glanced at House. "I don't want to be responsible for you too."

"Sorry, but I'm coming."

"You could be killed." Cuddy warned.

"Look around Cuddy. What do I have to live for anyway? My work doesn't satisfy me anymore. My wife left me. House is my only friend. When House is your only friend, you start to wonder if maybe you need to rethink the way you're living your life. Give me a chance to do something important. To make my life mean something. If I die, I die. At least I died trying to make a difference."

"You do make a difference Wilson. You make a difference to every patient who walked into your office. You make a difference to their families. You save lives."

"Do I? Or do I just hand hold as they die? Because I've been thinking about it, and my mortality rate is way up there.""

"That's not a reflection on your skills Wilson..."

"I know that. It's a reflection on how little I make a difference. I can't 'cure' cancer. I can't save lives. I'm not House. I'm not a hero."

House choked on a hash brown. Cuddy spit a little bit of orange juice across the table. "House? A hero?" She'd never thought about him that way before. "I guess, but so are you Wilson. What about all those gifts you get? All the thank you cards you receive? I can't think of a single patient of yours who hasn't been grateful to you."

"I want to do this Cuddy. Please let me." Wilson wasn't listening. He'd already made up his mind. He was a failure at life. Maybe this was his chance to die doing something grand.

"If you're sure?" She really didn't like the idea, but she also didn't like the idea of going alone.

"I'm sure."

"Great!" House held up his glass of orange juice. He'd wanted to add some vodka, but the liquor store wasn't open yet. "Here's to us kicking a little Demon ass!"


	72. Chapter 71

CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE 

"They've been in there an awfully long time." Foreman looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the living room. He really didn't care, he just wanted to go home if they didn't need him any more.

"They're probably just... talking." Bob had a feeling they were doing something else, but he felt Harry's eyes on him and decided against saying it.

"That's it." Harry tried to get up. He'd been relocated to the sofa, beside the tied up, drugged up Cameron, but he hadn't gotten there on his own, and wasn't going to be getting up on his own any time soon either.

"What's it?" Bob looked at him with a half smirk on his face.

"Foreman, go get them." Harry waved toward the door.

"No." Foreman got up. "Look, this has been fun and all, but I'm outta here." He put on his coat.

"Wait," Bob exclaimed. "You can't leave. What about her?" He nodded toward Cameron.

"Harry can handle it, right man?" Foreman had his hand on the doorknob already.

Harry called out Cuddy's name but she didn't answer. Since he was paying Foreman no attention, the doctor left.

"They're not in there, are they Bob?" Harry looked at his ghostly friend accusingly.

"I quite doubt it." Bob replied honestly.

"Go look!" Harry demanded.

Bob sighed and walked over to the bedroom door. He stuck his head through it. As he suspected, no one was there. The window was open and the place looked like it had been ransacked.

"Well?" Harry shouted.

"Gone." Bob came back and stood beside the sofa.

"What the hell is going on Bob?" Harry was at his wits end.

"Perhaps they realized you have been compromised."

"Compro...what are you talking about Bob?"

Bob took a step away from his friend. It was not that he feared Harry would hurt him, that was quite impossible. It was just one of those human instincts that lingered even after five hundred years of being untouchable. "You can no longer be trusted Harry."

"Don't say that Bob. It's me, Harry. You've known me most of my life..."

"Yes." Bob eyed his old friend. "And I know that you would do anything to help a woman in need, and you would die to save a friend, and right now, Murphy is both those things, and you're desperate."

Harry broke down. "Bob. What am I supposed to do? Lea tricked me, and now she's got Murphy. She'll make Murphy wish she was dead if I don't get her what she wants."

"And what is that Harry?" Bob asked calmly.

"I..." Harry shook his head. "I can't tell you Bob." He began to sob. "I want to. I really do. But I can't."

"I know Harry." Bob was afraid that was the case, but he had to at least try. "But I am going to stop you."

"How Bob? You're a ghost!" Harry threw a pillow through the silver haired man. Bob watched it pass through his chest sadly.

"I'll think of something."

Bob watched helplessly as Harry finally gathered the strength to get up and search the house. He'd half hoped the journal would be laying on the floor beside the bed, forgotten. It wasn't of course, and he had to take a bobby pin he found on the floor behind Cuddy's dresser.

He began the tracking spell as Bob looked on in terror. Just as the bobby pin began to glow, meaning the spell was almost complete, Bob walked through it. His energy caused the spell to go haywire. Beams of light filled the room, shooting out from the small pin trapped inside the ghost. It cracked loudly and burst into pieces.

"That's not the end, Bob. This house is filled with her things." Harry screamed. "Get in your skull ghost!"

Bob had no choice. He fought against it, trying to break the spell that bound him to his scull, and to Harry as his master. But he wasn't strong enough. He lost the fight and vanished in a cloud of gold dust.

Cameron was nearly free of her bonds. House had underestimated Foreman. He hadn't been able to sit there and not feel any empathy toward her. He'd loosened the scarf around her legs, and helped her readjust her arms. She had been struggling to pull her hand out of the cuffs ever since.

"What?" Harry didn't have much time to react. Cameron brought a lamp down on his head, knocking him unconscious for the second time in their short acquaintance. She took a second to make sure he was still alive, then ran. She was going to have to take matters into her own hands now.


	73. Chapter 72

CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO 

Lisa Cuddy hadn't crossed over since she was sixteen. She had begged Harry to take her to the other side once. She wanted to know what was over there. She'd regretted that decision the moment she stepped through the portal. Now she was about to take House and Wilson, her two closest friends into that world.

"How do we get there?" Wilson looked up and down the busy city street. People crawled along the sidewalks like ants, rushing to and fro. He didn't see anything that looked like the gates of hell.

"I'm not sure." Cuddy looked around.

"What do you mean you're not sure?" House exclaimed.

"I mean, I don't have all the answers, House. That is why I didn't want to run off half cocked with no real plan."

"You should have said something."

"I DID say something House. You just didn't listen, as usual."

"But you came anyway."

"Yes." And she regretted it already. "I need Bob." She finally announced after a few minutes of walking up and down various streets.

"What are you going to do, call him?" House snarked.

Cuddy looked at him for a moment, and her face lit up. "That might just work." She rushed off down the street.

House and Wilson rushed after her. "I was kidding you know. It's not like he can pick up the phone when it rings."

"I'm not using a phone." Cuddy ducked into a shop she'd noticed on their aimless wonderings.

It was a small, cramped shop, filled with jars of very strange substances and old, leather bound books. A bat skeleton hung from the ceiling and nearly hit House in the head as he walked under it. "Nice place."

"Shut up House." Cuddy rang a small bell on the crowded desk.

There was a lot of noise coming from somewhere in the back, then a tweedy sort of man with light graying hair and wire rimmed glasses appeared through a curtain. "May I, may I help you?" He fumbled over his words as he looked at the threesome poking around his shop. "Please, please don't touch that!" He hurried out from behind the counter and took a small gold statue out of Wilson's hands.

"I am hoping you can." Cuddy focused his attention back to her. "I am looking for something to break an entrapment bond."

"Entrapment bond?" The man ran his fingers through his hair nervously.

"I have a friend, a ghost, who is trapped in his skull for eternity. I need to speak to him, but he can't leave his skull unless his master allows it."

"I take it then that you are not his master?"

"No, I am not, and his master is in trouble and can't let him out." It was only a bit of a fib.

"I see. And how did this, this master come to be master?"

"He was given the skull by the master before, and so on through generations. He's a descendant of a close friend of the ghost."

"Hmmm. Let me think for a moment." The nervous little man paced in a small circle muttering to himself. "Yes, I might have just the thing," he said to himself more than to her. Then he looked up at her, pushing his glasses up the ridge of his nose. "You do, of course, know the name of this ghost?"

"Yes." Cuddy was nervous. This was going to be the hard part.

"You might have to actually tell him the name," House said in the following silence.

"Hrothbert of Bainbridge." She closed her eyes and waited.

"What?" The man dropped the glasses he'd just removed from his face for polishing.

Cuddy cleared her throat. "Hrothbert of Bainbridge is the name, of the ghost. Are you still willing to help me?" She narrowed her eyes at him, searching for the true answer.

"Uh..."

"What's the big deal?" House stared at her.

"The big deal?" The shop owner said frantically. "Hrothbert of Bainbridge is only one of the most powerful sorcerers ever to have lived. He is one of the few who was ever able to bring someone back to life intact."

"Intact?" Wilson gulped nervously.

"It is possible to resurrect the dead as a zombie, or a ghost, or vampire..." the nervous man seemed lost in thought now. "But only three sorcerers have ever brought a human being back to live in their as they were before death."

"And Bob is one of them," Cuddy cleared up for her friends.

"Bob? That grumpy, horny old man who's constantly trying to look down your blouse?"

"Yes House, the OTHER grumpy, horny old man who's constantly trying to look down my blouse."

Wilson snickered then pretended he'd seen something funny in a book he quickly picked up.

"I...I...you'll have to leave my shop at once." The man twittered anxiously.

"I thought so." Cuddy sighed.

"Wait? That's it?" House was annoyed. "No. We didn't come all this way to just stop now because this...this...coward won't help us. Beat him up Cuddy." House waited for her to spring into action.

"I'm not going to beat him up House." She sighed. Part of her wouldn't have minded one bit. "Look, it's very important that I contact Bob...Hrothbert. If you don't help us, I can't guarantee that my friend here won't burn down your shop. He's got a very bad temper, and looking at the pretty flames soothes him." Cuddy surprised everyone by looking not at House, but at Wilson. Wilson froze, then smiled nervously at the shop keeper.

"I think a strong summoning spell might do the trick." The nervous man made a wide berth around Wilson and headed for a bookshelf. He ran his finger over several spines before finding the one he wanted. He pulled it down and brought it back to the counter. "This one should do nicely." He turned to book toward Cuddy. "You said you are a friend of his?"

"Yes." Cuddy watched him flipping through the pages of the black leather tome.

"Good, good, it will only work if you've some connection to the thing your summoning. Now, if you'll all come in back please." He looked resentfully at Wilson. There was no way he was letting that pyro hang out alone in his shop.

Wilson walked into the back room first, followed by House, Cuddy and the shop keeper, Mr. Danvers.

"Do you know what kind of magic binds the ghost to the scull?" He gathered them around a brass ring in the floor.

"I'm not sure, but it will be a very strong spell, cast by Ancient Mai herself."

"Ancient Mai?" Mr. Danvers seemed in awe as he spoke then name of the oldest living witch, and head of the Witches Council.

"Yes. She was the one who sentenced him."

"To eternity in his skull, yes, I know the story. And her spell, according to legend, says nothing about the ownership of the skull." He was talking to himself again. "So I think we'll be fine with this spell."


	74. Chapter 73

CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE 

A half hour later, Cuddy, Wilson and House walked out of the small occult shop housed in the basement of a small brownstone in the heart of Manhattan. Cuddy carried a small bag under her arm. In that bag was a rune covered skull, once the home of the greatest mind of his day, now home to a very miserable ghost.

They got back into their car and headed for the hills. House took over the driving duties very grudgingly, and only because Wilson and Cuddy agreed that he would get left behind if he didn't. He knew as well as they did that they would never go through with the threat, but he drove anyway. He felt something bad encroaching on them, and wanted to keep moving rather than sitting there arguing about who was going to drive them to their deaths.

"Bob?" Cuddy called to him. She hadn't tried to summon Bob in the shop at the shop keeper's desperate request. "Bob, come out. It's Lisa." For a moment she thought the spell hadn't worked, but then the back seat filled with orange smoke and the form of Hrothbert of Bainbridge slowly materialized.

"Where am I?" Bob looked around with great curiosity. He'd seen a car before, but he'd never actually been inside one. It was...interesting.

"We're in New York, on our way to the country." Cuddy half explained.

"Why?"

"We're going to the other side," House said with mock excitement.

"What?" Bob looked at him, then back at Cuddy. "Are you insane? You can't go to the other side, and you definitely can't take THEM with you." He nodded his head toward the boys in the front seat.

"Well, I am." Cuddy had resigned herself to the fact, and Bob was just going to have to deal with it.

"But why? And where is Harry?"

"Harry is following us. I'm not sure where he is, exactly. Weren't you with him?" Cuddy looked interested.

"Uh, no. I don't think so. He sent me to my skull sometime last night, well, I think it was last night, and I haven't seen him since."

"Interesting." Cuddy wasn't sure what it meant, but it was unlike Harry to travel without Bob.

"What about Cameron? Is she with him?" Wilson asked. Despite what had happened, he was worried about the girl.

"Last I saw her she was still tied up." Bob shrugged.


	75. Chapter 74

**CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR**

Harry woke with a horrible headache. He slid his hand up to the top of his head and felt a large bump. There was a broken lamp on the floor next to him. He pushed through the fog in his head and found his memories of last night. Cameron. He spun his head around too quickly to find her, and felt the room spin. Even in his condition he could see she was gone.

Harry looked over on the table. Bob's skull was sitting there, staring at him with blank eyes. It would be another three hours before Cuddy found the spell that would bring Bob to her. Harry contemplated calling on Bob, but remembered their last conversation. Nothing had changed since then. Harry was still determined to do everything he could to save Murphy, and Bob would still be determined to stop him.

He found the scarf that had been tied around Cameron's ankles. That should be enough. He took the scarf and began his first of two tracking spells.

Cameron was back in the alley Wilson had followed her to. She was standing before another circle of candles and chalk. She was muttering to the sky. Harry could see it clear as day when he closed his eyes. It was like watching a movie against his eyelids.

"You lied to me." Cameron cried when the demon figure appeared out of the distance.

"And when might I have done that my dear?" The voice cracked and cackled as it spoke.

"House isn't in love with me. The spell was broken." Cameron shrieked, her anger and fright taking hold of her.

"Well, that's hardly my fault dear. I made him fall for you, but you couldn't seal the deal." There was a happy sort of music in the old woman's voice.

"OUR deal is off!" Cameron snapped.

The woman cackled loudly. It echoed through the small back alley and bounced off the old brick walls of the surrounding buildings. It penetrated Cameron's soul and made her blood run cold.

"I fulfilled my end of the deal. When the time comes, I expect you to do the same."

"No." Cameron stomped her foot defiantly.

"You are such a lovely girl." The old crone held it out toward Cameron's cheek. She couldn't break the circle, but she still made the girl back up a few feet. "Perhaps I will change the way in which you can repay me." An icy smile spread across the woman's toothless face.

"No." Cameron shook her head. "No!" Her fear was mounting. "You can't. Our deal is off. I've changed my mind. I...I..."

Harry pulled his mind back to his own reality. "Damn!"

Murphy was still in danger, that hadn't changed, but this Cameron was in more immediate danger. If he didn't act quickly, Retsmah would take the girls soul.

Harry rushed out the door. "By Bob," he said over his shoulder. There was a sad regret in his voice. Even if everything turned out okay, his relationship with his oldest friend would be forever changed by the events that were about to take place. He stopped thinking and flew out the door following the small vial he'd filled with the potion that would lead him to Cameron.

He found her laying lifeless in the alley twenty minutes later. The ring that had held Retsmah back was broken. The demon was wondering the earth. That was not good.

Harry bent over the girl. She was still breathing. That was something. He picked her up and carried her to his car then drove as fast as he could to the hospital.

"What happened?" Chase looked down at his still unconscious colleague.

"She was attacked by a demon." Harry didn't see any point in trying to pretend this wasn't happening. They could believe him or think him a loon. As long as Cameron got the care she needed.

"How? Why? What?" Chase was speechless as he looked down at her pretty face. It was frozen in a look of horror that broke his heart.

"Take care of her. I've got to go."

Chase wheeled Cameron into an exam room and started to check her vitals. This day was not starting off very well. House didn't show up for work, and wasn't answering his phone. Cuddy was no where to be found. Foreman had called in sick. Now Cameron had been attacked. If he were a perceptive man, he might run for the hills, but he just plowed on with his work.

He called Wilson again, but there was still no answer. He must be off with House, wherever he was. He told Nurse Donna to run a series of tests on Cameron while he returned to the clinic.

Harry took one last look at the hospital then drove off. He had one more spell to cast. One more decision that would change everything forever. It was a decision that had been made for him. He reached into his pocket and felt something he was sure hadn't been there before. He pulled out a delicate silver chain with a small silver circle on the end of it. It was Murphy's.

He held it tightly in his hand and prepared himself to do the one thing he'd never thought he would ever do.


	76. Chapter 75

**CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE  
**

Bob finished listening to Cuddy's story. Now that they were all up to speed, he needed some time to think.

"I thought he'd catch up to us by now." Cuddy was worried that she hadn't seen signs of Harry's following them.

"Perhaps he got caught up with that GIRL." Bob didn't even want to say her name.

"I doubt that." Cuddy didn't imagine Cameron could hold anyone's attention for more than a few minutes.

"If you're crossing over, you're going to need to know a few things." Bob resigned himself to Cuddy's suicide mission.

"Mind telling us what they are?" House asked snottily.

"I do mind telling you, but I will tell Lisa." Bob glared at the crabby doctor with contempt. Why Cuddy was still hanging around with him was unfathomable. "Things have gone a bit crazy in Hellanto. Eitak and Erohs are no longer working together. Erohs has gone missing for the time being. Some say Eitak killed him..."

"I thought they couldn't die." Wilson was munching on a stale doughnut left from a late night pit stop.

"Not by mortals, but they can kill each other, which is why I think it would be smart to try and ally yourself with the others."

"Others?" Wilson spit out white powder as he spoke.

"There are four major demons," Bob's exasperation could be heard clearly in his voice. "They each align with one of the four elements. Erohs is the water demon. Eitak is the demon of air. Now the two I think we should try to recruit to our side are Nagesirod and Regnisnairb, the earth and fire demons respectively."

"And why the hell would they want to help us?" House leaned back in the bed. They had stopped at a small motel off the highway. Bob thought Harry wouldn't reach them by morning.

"Because we are after the same thing they are." Bob snapped. Mortals were so dense sometimes. "They will not want Eitak and Erohs to take over any more than we will."

"Why don't they just kill them?" Wilson asked innocently. He flinched when Bob shot a laser glare in his direction.

"It is not that easy. If it were Eitak and Erohs would have killed everyone who stood in their way a long time ago. Demons live by a code, believe it or not and...oh, why am I explaining this to you?" He turned his attention back toward Cuddy. "Nagesirod and Erohs are in the house of Summer. The other two are winter. So we will have to visit both sides in order to meet with them both."

"Can't we just meet somewhere in the middle?" House inquired more politely than anyone thought possible. Cuddy smiled at him in gratitude.

"We could...if we wanted to start a war. But we don't, so we will go to each of them separately, garner their support, THEN we will start a war."

"Okay Bob, which one first." Cuddy had absorbed all he said with rapt attention. Now she was ready to act.

"I'd suggest..."

"Regnisnairb," House declared loudly.

"Nagesirod," Bob said, glaring at House disgustedly. "Of course if you want to waltz into Eitak's territory with no other world allies, be my guest. However, I would like to note that I strongly protest the decision."

House and Bob both looked expectantly at Cuddy. "We're going to the house of Summer." She avoided House's gaze. She knew he'd be pissed.

"Fine!" He snapped and headed for the bathroom.

Wilson yawned, and looked around. There were two double beds, and no couch or chairs of even a cot. Two of them were going to have to pair up. He looked at Cuddy and a small smile creeped across his face.

"You and House can sleep on that bed. I'd like to be by the window, if that's okay." Cuddy pulled the blankets down on the bed she'd claimed.

"Sure." Wilson felt a pang of regret even though he knew it was coming.

"So," House came out of the bathroom and looked at his options. "I'll just sleep over here shall I?" He sat on the side of Cuddy's bed and kicked off his shoes.

"No, House. You'll be sleeping over there." Cuddy pointed to Wilson's bed. Wilson was already under the covers.

"He kicks in his sleep." House removed his watch and put it on the side table that was mounted to the wall.

"And you know this how?" Cuddy was curious to hear the answer to that one.

"The last hooker I bought was an ex-client of his. She told me." House grinned at Wilson as he lowered his head onto the pillow.

"Get off my bed House." Cuddy yanked the sheets and sent House rolling toward the floor. Bob cracked up while Wilson tried to be a bit more discrete.

"That's just plain rude. I'm a crippled you know." House waved his cane at her to demonstrate.

"Crippled socially perhaps, but all during our little journey you've seemed just fine to me."

"I've been cowboying up." House grabbed his leg and faked a groan of pain.

Cuddy's brow furrowed. She thought he was faking, but she still felt a pang of guilt.

"What if he kicks me in the leg while he's thrashing around?"

Cuddy bit her lip.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Bob protested loudly. "You're not buying this are you?"

"Stay on your side of the bed House. If you try anything, I will push you off the bed." Cuddy couldn't help it. As much as she wanted to say no, as much as she wanted her own bed, she couldn't deal with the guilt. She would be up all night wondering if he was okay.

House suppressed his grin. He didn't want to push his luck. "My side, huh?" He looked at the narrow twin bed. "I'll do my best."

'You lucky dog,' Wilson mouthed over to him before switching off his light.

"Goodnight." Cuddy crawled into bed and shut off the light.


	77. Chapter 76

**CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX**

The night was long. Every scrap of a branch against the window, every rustle of leaves in the wind woke her. The room was not dark. A shaft of street lamp light glared in through a large gap in the old, tattered drapes. Cuddy looked over at her two companions.

House was snoring lightly, laying on his back, his hands neatly closed on his chest. She'd put him in that position after a couple 'accidental' gropings. Wilson was on his side, curled up like a child. Cuddy moved to get up, but felt House's weight shift toward her, his arm falling gently across her waist.

"I know you're awake House." She waited. Nothing happened. "Let me go." She poked at his arm.

"Mphmhmm," House mumbled in his sleep.

Cuddy sighed and leaned back. It was actually kind of nice to have someone curled up beside her. She hadn't felt safe in a long time, and House's warm body, his gentle breath against her shoulder made her feel...well, not safe, but not totally alone, either.

"I can't believe you." Bob's whisper in her ear made her jump. House simply tightened his grip.

"What?" She looked up to see the near transparent figure of her ghostly friend.

"He manipulated you into letting him sleep with you, and now he's tricked you into letting him touch you." Bob sounded disgusted by the whole thing, but he was really just jealous.

"He didn't manipulate me." There were many things Cuddy was very perceptive about, but House's constant ability to manipulate the hell out of her was not one of them. "Or trick me."

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Bob looked down at her tenderly. He yearned to brush his hand gently across her brow. It actually seemed to hurt not to be able to touch her in that moment.

"Am I doing the right thing Bob? Letting them come with me?" She had been worrying about it ever since she decided to go across.

"Don't ask me. You know I could care less if they live or die. It's you I'm worried about." He reached a hand out to her, but pulled it back hoping she didn't notice. "It is the right thing for you, Lisa. You're not the kind of person who can do this alone."

Cuddy frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's not an insult my sweet. I just worry that on your own you would do something foolish, where if you have people you care about with you, you will be more cautious."

"What if I'm too cautious? What if I choose House over the fate of the world?"

"Would you do that?" Bob hadn't thought of it in those terms. He'd always assumed that if she had to sacrifice her friend, she would to save everyone else on Earth.

"I don't know. I'd like to think I would put the lives of many over the life of one or two, but I don't know." Harry's sudden change had frightened her. "I didn't think Harry would make that choice, but it seems he has."

Bob felt himself getting choked up. He didn't want to think about Harry. "You're stronger than him. Harry's always been an idiot when a woman was involved."

"Does he love her?" Cuddy didn't think, after her first impression, that there was anything going on between Harry and Murphy.

"I know they are friends. Good friends. Like you and House." Bob knew he was asking a leading question. He just hoped Cuddy wouldn't figure it out.

"Oh." Cuddy frowned again and looked at House. "Bob, promise me that if it comes to it, you will find a way to make me do the right thing." She didn't think she'd have the heart to do it on her own.

"Believe me, Lisa, I will do what I must to save you." He meant it with every dead cell in his dead body.

"If I waver, and ONLY if I waver, you have my permission to take over for me." She wasn't sure how to word that exactly.

"Enter you?" Bob smiled in the semi-darkness.

"Yes Bob." Cuddy could hear the perverted tone of his question. She rolled her eyes. "ONLY if it's absolutely necessary. Understood?"

"Perfectly my dear. I promise only to violate you for saving the world purposes." Bob made like he was kissing her hand.

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

"Probably." Bob vanished back into his skull as House stirred beside her.

"Regret what?" He nuzzled his nose into her neck.

"This." Cuddy shoved him off the edge of the bed. She had felt something brushing up her leg, and she knew she couldn't have it in her bed.

"You most certainly will." House pulled himself up off the shag carpet. "Wilson, bunch over." He pushed at his sleepy friend and Wilson scooted to the edge of his small bed.


	78. Chapter 77

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN 

The next morning they headed out early. "How, exactly do we get to Hellanto? Is there an exit off 95?" Wilson was once again behind the wheel.

"We find a nice secluded place, preferably with lots of nature surrounding it and we...oh." Bob looked at Cuddy guiltily.

"What is it?" Cuddy's head snapped in his direction.

"Um, you're not...qualified, exactly, for entry."

"What do you mean qualified?" Cuddy hadn't really thought about how they were going to get there. She remembered how Harry had brought her over, and was just going to recreate that spell. She could do a little bit of magic, if she did it just right, and concentrated very hard on it.

"You need to be invited."

"Invited?" House craned his neck around to look at Bob who was floating inches above the back seat. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Wizards or witches," Bob nodded to the only female in the car, "can force their way in with magic, but other than that, we need someone from the other side to invite us through. Sort of like vampires not being able to enter a home without being invited. We could, technically, go in, but we'd be killed the...well, you'd be killed the moment we got there."

"So, who can invited us in?" House's tone was accusatory. He didn't like this new turn of events.

Cuddy could only think of one person she could ask. She closed her eyes and grumbled. It was the one person she never wanted to see or talk to again.

Suddenly the car swerved and she popped open her eyes. Wilson had driven them into a ditch on the side of the road.

"What happened?" Cuddy looked to make sure both House and Wilson were okay.

"There was someone in the road." Wilson looked back at the road, but there was no one there.

Cuddy felt a sudden chill. "Donatien," she whispered into the air.

"What?" Wilson was dazed from nearly hitting someone.

House got out and looked at the car. "Totaled." He banged the fender with his cane and it fell off. "We can't drive this thing anymore."

"Now what?" Wilson got out and turned around in a circle. There was no one for miles. They'd gone off the highway and had been winding down a country road searching for a place to eat when it happened.

Cuddy saw a flash of something through the trees. "We go that way." She pointed off into the woods.

"You're kidding, right?" House looked off at the lack of a path and leaned against the car.

"Or you can wait here." Cuddy grabbed her bag, placed Bob's skull on top of her equipment and headed off toward the trees.

Wilson looked at House. House wasn't moving.

Cuddy slid between two of the trees and vanished from sight.

Wilson looked at House. House looked nervous. "We can't let her go into the dark forest alone." Wilson panicked.

"What, like you're going to protect her from something?" House looked at Wilson's weak body.

"Well, we can't stay here by ourselves."

"Ever hear of AAA? We'll call for help." House took out his mobile.

"No." Wilson grabbed it. "Harry is after us, two big bad demons are after us. I seriously doubt AAA is going to be all that much help." Wilson pulled his friend toward the trees.

Cuddy saw another flash of something and headed off to her left. She heard footsteps behind her. It was probably just Wilson and House looking for their Mommy, but she couldn't be too careful. She wrapped her hands tightly around her gun and spun around.

"Watch where you point that thing!" House stopped in his tracks, nearly falling over. Wilson instinctively threw his hands in the air.

"I'm so glad you decided to join me," Cuddy sarcastically announced.

"Where are we going?" Wilson fell in line behind Cuddy and House.

"I'm not sure yet." She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and headed toward it.

"Then why the sudden turn?" House asked curiously.

"I'm following something."

"Something?" Wilson didn't like the sound of that.

"Shhh." Cuddy turned her head, listening for footfalls or the snapping of twigs. She moved slowly forward.

The trees grew rapidly thin until the trio found themselves in a small clearing. A painfully handsome man in a black tapestry knee length jacket and high black boots smiled at them, his razor fangs glinting in the sunlight.

"Donatien," Cuddy said casually.

"What took you so long? I thought perhaps my little clues were perhaps too vague for you."

"Not at all. What do you want?"

"It is not what I want my precious, but what you want, that I can give you." Donatien had glided over to her imperceptibly. He ran a finger along her jaw line.

House's hands clenched into fists until his knuckles turned white.

"And what might that be?" Cuddy thought she knew the answer, but she wanted him to say it.

"I, Donatien le Coeur de la Croix, do cordially invite the ravishing Lisa Cuddy," he bowed elegantly before her, "and her little friends," he waved a dismissive hand at House and Wilson, "to a ball, held in her most esteemed honor in the magical and enchanted Hellanto." He smiled irresistibly, even though his fangs shone prominently against his rose red lips.

"Gee, a party, and me with nothing to wear," House snided, not at all pleased with the invitation.

"We accept." Cuddy spoke for all three of them, and Bob too.

"I am most delighted. Now, if you will step back, allow me to open the door to a land of wonder and amazement." Donatien swept them back with a wave of his hand, then said something in perfect, elegant French, and a swirling vortex began to grow in the palm of his hand.

When it became too big for him to hold, Donatien backed away, allowing the vortex to hang in the air, growing to about eight feet in diameter. He then motioned for Cuddy to follow him through.

Knowing Donatien and his little tricks, Cuddy made sure that House and Wilson passed through right beside her. She would not have been surprised to see Donatien get her through then quickly close the portal on her friends. He smiled at her, well aware of what she thought him capable of.

"You are as clever as you are beautiful." Donatien sounded mildly disappointed as he followed the three friends to Hellanto.


	79. Chapter 78

**CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT**

"Oh." Wilson stopped short and looked around. They were standing in the middle of the same forest clearing they had just left.

"Oh please," House turned to him. "You didn't really think anything was going to happen did you?"

Donatien laughed a high, bell-like laugh. "Where you expecting fire and brimstone?" He led them through a small gap in the trees.

"Something like that." House reluctantly followed, being dragged along by Cuddy.

"Sorry to disappoint you old fellow, but Hellanto is whatever it's inhabitants want it to be."

After a short walk through the trees, they came out to another clearing, this one much larger and laid out around a glorious palace of gleaming marble and gold.

Cuddy stopped for a moment and took in the view. House nearly crashed into her she'd stopped so suddenly. Wilson tripped over his feet as he looked upon the sight.

"I hope it is to your liking." Donatien held his nose high in the air. His was one of the greatest homes in Hellanto for his class level, which was midrange magic.

"It's quite beautiful." Cuddy couldn't help but have her head turned by the opulence of the place. When Harry had taken her to Hellanto as a teenager they had ended up in more of a forbidden forest kind of place, with knarled trees and harpies taunting them from the branches.

"Yes, I thought you might like it." Donatien pushed House out of the way and slid one arm around Cuddy's slender waist. He could feel the hatred coming from House's blue eyes, but that didn't concern him at all. "Let me show you around." Ignoring the fact that there were two other guests, the vampire slid across the fine trimmed lawn, telling Cuddy stories of the amazing parties he held at his palace.

After about an hour of touring through the house and the grounds, he led her to a balcony high atop the building. They were alone, having lost House and Wilson some time ago. "I like to come out here at sunset and watch the sky change colors." Suddenly, the sun began to sink off in the distance. The sky turned a deep sapphire blue, covered with ribbons of fiery pinks and reds.

"It's lovely." Cuddy couldn't help getting lost in the moment. It was that powerful a view, and Donatien was that powerful a vampire. His ability to seduce had been finely tuned over the centuries.

He ran his hand slowly up her back and slipped it around her shoulder. He pulled her into an embrace. His fingers slowly slipped into her hair. Unless he was mistaken, she let out a gasp of pleasure as he leaned in to kiss her.

Cuddy felt something tugging at her shoulder. Her bag was bouncing around wildly. It was enough to break the spell Donatien was weaving around her. She pulled away and looked out over the lawn. "Where are House and Wilson?" She was desperate to get away from the vampire. To have backup.

"They surrendered long ago." Donatien was not to be stopped. He slid the bag off her shoulder and placed it against the stone wall of the balcony. "They're probably sleeping by now." He moved in again for a kiss.

"Sleeping?" Cuddy was suddenly startled. "What have you done to them?" She pushed him away, grabbed her back and headed off toward the stairs. She heard Donatien's gentle voice shoot out an angry curse as she faded from his view.

"Thanks Bob," she said when she felt she was far enough to stop and catch her breath. She opened her bag and in an instant her old friend appeared before her.

"You must not leave yourself vulnerable like that. You remember what happened last time..."

"I was only fifteen then Bob. I'm older and wiser now."

"Are you?" Bob didn't sound so sure.

"Shut up!" Cuddy was tempted to send him back to his skull, but she needed the company. She was worried that Donatien had done something to her friends.

She headed off in one direction while Bob started off in another. "Oh, fine," she huffed when it seemed he wasn't changing his mind. She followed him down a long, dark corridor.

House and Wilson were sitting by the fire, a bottle of brandy sat on a table that was covered with cards. House looked up at her for a moment, his expression completely blank. It changed to confusion before finally settling in on recognition. "Cuddy?" He sounded surprised to see her.

"What happened to you?" Cuddy came and sat on the couch between the boys. She was facing House.

"What are you doing here?" House asked, still slightly confused.

"He will have charmed them," Bob explained, "made them forget you."

Footsteps sounded behind them. "The ghost is right. And it would have worked without his interference." Donatien admitted defeat gracefully. He strolled over to the fireplace, picking up a glass of brandy on the way, then stood, in perfect profile, looking quite the lord of the manor. "You are a very hard woman to seduce, Lisa Cuddy..."

"Tell me about it," House muttered to himself.

"But I am a patient man, and I always get what I want." He sipped his brandy lovingly. "Now, you must be tired after such a long and arduous journey. Perhaps Yvette can show you to your rooms." He smiled toward the back of the room.

The weary travelers turned toward the door. An unrealistically well endowed blonde stood before them in a small, tight maids costume, the kind one might find in the Fredrick's of Hollywood catalog. "If you will please to follow me," she said in a thick French accent.

House scraped Wilson's jaw off the floor and followed the maid who's skirt danced up and down as she walked, showing the beginning curve of her bottom.

They were each shown to separate rooms along the same hallway. House then Wilson then Cuddy.

Cuddy entered her room and paused for a moment to take it all in.

"It is to your liking, no?" Yvette asked haughtily.

"It's fine. Thank you." Cuddy thought for a moment. "Where is Master Donatien's room?" She thought she knew the answer, and she was right. It was the room just next to hers. "Of course." Cuddy dismissed the maid and heard the door lock from the outside. "Bob?"

Bob came out of no where. "I know." Bob said sadly. "He's got you trapped."

"That's not helpful Bob. How do I get untrapped?" Cuddy sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hold on." Bob walked through the wall to Wilson's room. A few minutes later he returned. "All your doors are locked. The windows too."

Cuddy walked to the windows. Two large French doors lead out to a false balcony. It was not large enough to use, but it was wide enough to walk along, if one were very careful, and very desperate.

"Is Donatien in his room?" Cuddy asked, rattling at the French doors and tapping on the glass.

Bob popped his head into the other room. "It appears to be empty."

"Good." Cuddy wrapped her coat around Bob's skull and slammed it through the glass. "Let's go." She grabbed her bag and headed out on the ledge, carefully moving toward Wilson's window. She knocked on his glass.

Wilson jumped into the air and spun around. At first he thought she was a vampire coming to suck his blood, but when he saw it was Cuddy he rushed to the window. She was about to smash it when Bob stopped her.

"There's a...better way." He gave her an incantation and on the third try she managed to magically unlock the door. They used the spell on his door and headed out into the hallway.

House's door was already unlocked, and when they went into his room, he was gone. "Has that vampire gotten him?" Wilson cried nervously.

Bob, who was looking out the window snorted a laugh. "Not exactly."

Wilson and Cuddy rushed to the window and looked out over the long expanse of perfectly trimmed grass. House was following the beautifully fake Yvette into the woods.

"Crap!" Cuddy took off after him, busting through the glass window and jumping off the balcony. Wilson shrieked until he saw her get up, brush herself off and run after House.

"How'd she do that?" Wilson looked over at the ghost.

"Her strength is heightened here." Bob mused. Things were suddenly looking up.


	80. Chapter 79

**CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE**

House was nearly running across the lawn. He ignored the shooting pains in his leg. He needed to catch Yvette. She had promised him things he didn't think were physically possible. He heard her giggling and calling to him.

Cuddy was catching up quickly. She could hear House's uneven footsteps in the fallen leaves and twigs that lined the forest floor. "House?" She called, not expecting an answer. If Yvette had power anything like Donatien's, then House was in trouble.

House could hear nothing but the pounding of his own heart, and the tantalizing laughter of the sexy Yvette.

"What do we do now?" Wilson was pacing back and forth in front of the broken window.

"We wait." Bob looked down at his skull. He couldn't go after her. He had thought to make Wilson carry him into the forest, but, he looked over at Wilson, that probably wasn't the greatest idea. He would just have to trust that she could do this. "Lisa is strong here. She'll get him back."

"I hope you're right." Wilson slumped down onto the bed. He would be lost without his friend. Cuddy had to save him. She just had to.

Cuddy stopped. She heard Yvette's obnoxious accent.

"You are following me." Yvette turned and looked at House. He was panting heavily and finally leaned against a tree for balance.

"I...needed...to...see you." He panted heavily.

"But you can see me all you want." Yvette was unfastening her top as she approached him.

"I...all...I...want..." House liked the sound of that.

"House, NO!" Cuddy came out from behind a tree and shoved Yvette away.

"You!" Yvette screeched, charging toward Cuddy.

"Keep your hands off of him!" Cuddy braced herself for impact.

"Doni promised him to me!" The blonde lunged at Cuddy, arms toward her neck.

Cuddy used a karate move that spread Yvette's arms and caused the girl to stumble into her. She then kneed the maid in the stomach as she fell. "He was not Doni's to promise," Cuddy said in an imitation of the faux French accent Yvette had been using.

Yvette pulled herself up off the ground and turned to stare at Cuddy. Her body hadn't changed, but for a split second, her face was hard and cruel and definitely inhuman. It was only a second, and then it switched back to the serene beauty it once had. "You will regret your interference."

Cuddy only laughed. "Go ahead and kill me. Your precious Doni will have your head for it." Cuddy had guessed right. As Yvette backed away, it was clear Cuddy had Donatien's protection. He wouldn't let anyone else harm her, until he'd gotten whatever it was he wanted. She had a feeling it was more than the obvious. "I doubt you are under the same protection." Cuddy smiled and threw a punch at Yvette's face. It made contact with a loud clap of sound.

Cuddy followed it up with another hard punch, and got kicked in the leg in return. She yelped, but didn't fall. Instead she went for the jugular, landing a solid hit right at Yvette's throat. The girl let out a horrible cry and dropped to the ground. Her body twitched and contorted for a moment, then seemed to shrivel up like a piece of bacon on the griddle until she was no longer the lean, leggy blonde, but a small, hunched, wrinkled old crone.

House, sensing the worst was over, came to stand beside Cuddy. "What the hell?"

"She's a harpy. Donatien promised her to you."

"Remind me to think him later," House said sarcastically.

"Right after I do." Cuddy turned her back on the hideous dead creature. "Let's get out of here."


	81. Chapter 80

**CHAPTER EIGHTY**

They walked and walked and walked. It seemed like they should be to the clearing by now.

"Are you sure we're going the right way," House complained.

"As sure as you are." Cuddy looked up at the small snatches of sky they could glimpse through the trees. It was dark. The sky seemed starless. If there was a moon out, it wasn't gracing them with its illuminating beams.

"Maybe we should stop here." House had stubbed his toes five times in the past ten minutes.

"You're right." Cuddy was worried about Wilson, but Bob was there to protect him, and there was no way she would get any sleep at the palace, with Donatien lurking around trying to seduce her to his side.

They found a nice dry spot under a low branch. It leaves created a sort of cave. "This will do nicely." House climbed in and laid out on his back. It felt good to not be running or crashing into things in the darkness.

Cuddy fumbled in her pocket and found a small talisman. She placed it at what would the door if this were a cave, then crawled in beside House.

She hadn't realized how much her body ached until she stopped moving. That harpy had landed a few solid punches before finally going down. Cuddy twisted around until her back made a loud cracking sound.

"Sounds painful." House sat up beside her.

"All in a days work," Cuddy snorted.

"Why'd you stop, the first time?" House put his hands on her shoulders and began rubbing them deeply. He heard Cuddy make an approving sigh, so he kept going.

"What do you mean?" She half turned to look at him, but the massage felt so good, she just closed her eyes instead.

"Bob made it sound like something had happened." House's eyes were adjusting to the near total darkness. He could see just a hint of her shoulder outlined in the minimal moonlight.

"I saved the world is what happened." She didn't sound particularly proud.

"There's got to be more to it than that." House's hands slid down her back, he tried to massage it, but the angle was all wrong. "Lay down." He slowly guided her onto her stomach. She didn't put up a fight. Her back was killing her.

"I did some things I was not proud of." She felt his hands slide up and down the sides of her back. He leaned into it, applying pressure right where she needed it.

"But you were saving the world. You had no choice."

"Exactly." Cuddy laughed sadly. "But when it was over, I was the one who had to live with it. Could you live with the decision to let Wilson die to save the world?"

House didn't answer. His hands slipped under her shirt and slithered up her spine. "So you just turned your back on it all?"

"Yes," she half sighed the word as he gently kneaded her flesh.

"And became a hospital administrator?" House sounded slightly disgusted.

"Yes."

"Bad choice." House leaned into the massage, his stomach pressing against her buttocks. He smiled in the darkness.

They both fell silent. House stopped massaging her for a moment, and worked on his own leg. Cuddy turned and looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"It's fine." House lied.

"Where's your Vicodin?"

"Ran out."

"Here." She put her hands on his and slowly moved them out of the way. "Let me do it." She placed both hands on his damaged thigh, looking at him carefully, to make sure he was okay with it, then she began working on the muscles slowly, expertly.

"You're very good at this," House smiled half with ecstasy half with curiosity.

"I took some massage therapy classes after..." she realized what she was about to say and who she was about to say it to.

"After the Infarction?" House finished for her.

"Yeah." She laughed. It sounded so stupid now. To think he would have wanted her to touch him after that. He hated her after his surgery. It had taken years for him to even speak to her.

House leaned back and closed his eyes. His mind was racing with thoughts. There was something about this place, this other realm. He could feel the electricity all around him, the magical power hung in the air and embraced him. Where he had expected to find a living hell he had stumbled into a dream world.

Suddenly his mind clicked off and his body took over. He grabbed her arms and pulled her toward him. He did something he'd wanted to do for a long time. He kissed her, long and hard and without apology. He didn't let go of her, for fear she would pull away. This might be his only chance to taste her soft, sweet lips, to feel her breath mingle with his, to bury his tongue in her mouth. He wanted so much more, but he started with a kiss.


	82. Chapter 81

**CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE**

Cuddy pulled away, breathless. "House, I..."

They both turned quickly, the sound of children's laughter seemed to be drifting on the air.

"Who's there?" House called out, grateful for the diversion.

There was no answer, just the rustle of leaves in the sudden breeze.

"We're not safe here." Cuddy started to get up, but House grabbed her arm.

"Where are we going to go? Back to the palace we can't seem to find? Back to reality, which I'm not even sure exists anymore? We need to stay here."

Cuddy knew he was right. "We'll wait." She laid back down and closed her eyes. She kept one ear alert for any sound.

House looked down at her. He could hardly make out the curve of her hips in the thick growth beneath them, but if he thought about her, he could trace every curve from memory. He laid down beside her, closer than he needed to be, and felt her pull herself into his arms.

Cuddy's head flew up when she heard that laughter again. She wanted to know what it was. It felt like someone was watching them. "House," she shook him awake. "Did you hear that?"

"All I heard was you calling my name." House grumbled, and pulled her back down into his arms.

"Let go of me," she pulled up again. A feeling of danger permeated her body. Something wasn't right. Something was very, VERY wrong.

"I heard it this time." House grabbed her, more out of fear than lust this time. He hated that she had to protect him from whatever it was that wanted to kill them this time.

"Wait here." Cuddy crawled out of their little cave, a knife held firmly in her hand.

"The hell," House said to the air, crawling out after her.

They were surrounded. At least a dozen tiny bodies stood all around them, tiny little bows and arrows pointed right at them.

"What the?" House looked to Cuddy to see if she knew.

"I think they're nymphs."

"Wood nymphs, to be exact," one of them said. He was dressed in a more elaborate costume of leaves and bark, and must have been there leader. The rest of them took a step forward, closing in on the giant humans.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," House rolled his eyes and shook his head. After everything they'd been through he hardly felt threatened by a bunch of midgets with pointy sticks.

"Careful, House," Cuddy whispered out of the side of her mouth. "They're a lot more dangerous than they look."

"Of course they are." House would have expected no less.

"Why do you trespass in our woods?" Asked the leader.

"I'm sorry. We were lured here by a harpy and can't find our way out." When Cuddy said it, it sounded perfectly logical, though if House thought about it too long he realized how insane the whole situation really was.

"Likely story," shouted one of the lady nymphs, and a few others rumbled their agreement.

"Now, now." The leader held them off with the extension of an arm. "I believe they are telling the truth. You are not from here?"

"No. We're from the other side." Cuddy explained.

"Yes, I can sense it on you." The leader made a disgusted face as he sniffed toward the strangers. "I told you," he said to his people, "they're too stupid to know what they've done."

"We're no..." House was stopped by Cuddy's fingers digging deep into his arm.

"If you could show us the way out, we would be happy to leave."

"You expect us to help you?" The nymph seemed insulted.

"We have a mutual goal. You want to get rid of us, and we want to leave."

"And what is so horrible about our woods that you must get out so desperately?" The nymph asked.

"I was under the impression we weren't welcome. I wouldn't want to stay somewhere I wasn't welcome." Cuddy sounded much calmer than House felt.

The nymph seemed to like this answer. He smiled and nodded then extended a hand. "My name is Pingus. I am king of these woods."

Cuddy shook his hand cordially. She nudged House to do the same. "My name is Cuddy, and this is House. We are guests of Lord Donatien."

"Guests?" Pingus pulled his hand away quickly. His face began dark and dangerous.

"She means prisoners," House scowled.

One of the pretty female nymphs leaned over and whispered in Pingus' ear. He nodded as she spoke. Then he turned toward the humans. "Mixy believes you are telling the truth. We would like to invite you to a feast."

"Good, I'm starved." House rubbed his stomach greedily.

Another of the nymphs twittered in the kings ear. "Flit wants to know if you are the one we've been waiting for."

"I don't know," Cuddy answered.

"Are you the Chosen One?" He said more directly.

Cuddy blushed.

"She is." House informed them.

"Then you must come and join us for the night." Pingus announced proudly. "We will make sure you have the strength to carry on with your quest."

"Thank you very much." Cuddy smiled down on the small but noble man.

King Pingus led them through the darkness. The others followed all around them. Even if House and Cuddy had wanted to escape it would have been impossible.


	83. Chapter 82

**CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO**

Pingus stopped in front of a hollowed out tree trunk. He handed House and Cuddy a small flower he picked from a nearby bush and told them to eat it. House shrugged and tossed it into his mouth. Cuddy waited a moment, then followed suit, slightly more cautiously.

At once they felt their bodies tingling, felt the world around them growing larger and larger. Then they realized it wasn't the world growing but them shrinking. Soon they were eye level with the nymphs.

Then they each slid down the small, hollowed out tree trunk, and landed in a magnificent village of light and song. Fireflies danced around the earthen ceiling. Hundreds of nymphs danced around merrily, and broke into wild applause as Pingus announced their guests.

House and Cuddy were seated at a long, ornately covered table. Pingus sat between them and Mixy and Flit, obviously his favorites, sat on either side of them. They feasted on amazing vegetables House had never seen or heard of. Things only found in the fertile earth of this particular forest.

When all had eaten more than they could, a small group of nymphs got up and began playing music on the leaves and flowers that lined the earthen walls. Mixy and Flit got up and performed a seductive little dance. House gave them his full attention. Cuddy, meanwhile, turned to Pingus.

"Do you know Eitak and Erohs then? The demons I've got to stop?"

"There's not a creature in Hellanto that doesn't know Eitak and Erohs. Such a story that is."

"What do you mean?"

Pingus sighed and leaned back in his chair, a daffodil pipe hung from his lips. "Erohs, you know, is from the House of Summer while Eitak is of Winter."

"Yes. Bo...a friend told me that."

"Then you know that the two house's are in an eternal battle. Each house is determined to take control. It has caused a rift between the demon's."

Cuddy nodded her head, taking in every word.

"It's not just Eitak and Erohs, of course. There are also Regnisnairb, Eitak's brother for lack of a better term, and Nagesirod..."

"Erohs' sister?"

"Yes. Of course. It's all about balance. Male/female, summer/winter, light/dark...naturally the pairs became divided into good and evil."

"So Regnisnairb and Nagesirod are good demons?" God Cuddy hoped that was true.

"As good as can be expected." Pingus took a long draw off his pipe, then closed his eyes for a moment. "There is no pure good and evil, of course. Only differing shades of grey."

"Of course." Cuddy thought of Bob. He was considered an evil sorcerer by those who condemned him to an eternity of torment, but she'd never seen that side of him. Harry was as good a man as she'd ever met, but his recent actions could definitely be defined as evil.

"Well, Erohs and Eitak crossed the line. They realized they had a common goal..."

"Total omniscience?"

"Yep. That's the one." Pingus nodded approvingly. This Cuddy was pretty smart for a human. "So for the time being they are working together toward that goal. But what do you think is going to happen when they achieve that goal?"

"They won't. I will stop them." Cuddy's voice was determined even if she was filled with doubt.

"Of course you will. But if you don't, and they take over, they will then turn on each other. Neither is going to be satisfied with sharing. They will set out to dominate each other, and the world will be torn apart in their zealous pursuit of control."

"What are you two talking about?" Flit and Mixy had stopped dancing and House turned his attention to Cuddy and the little king.

"I'll explain later." Cuddy didn't want to waste time going over the whole thing now.

Pingus looked from Cuddy to House. "You must be tired." He clapped his hands and Flit came rushing out at them. "Is their room ready?" She nodded. "Please escort them then my dear."

Flit took each of their hands and hurried them down a long corridor. Mixy was standing in a doorway. She stepped aside to let them in.

The room was lush, like an English garden, full of vibrant flowers and thick, lush grass. The earth ceiling was hung with bougainvillea. The walls were lined with creeping violets and roses. The bed was covered with rose petals and other unidentifiable flowers native to Hellanto.

Mixy and Flit backed out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

House went to the door and giggled the handle. "What is it with these people and locking us in?" He tried one last sharp rattle, then threw his hands up in defeat.

He stood beside Cuddy and looked at the bed. "You take it. You're the one who has to fight these demons." He looked around for somewhere else to sleep.

Cuddy took his hand. She took a deep breath and led him to the bed. "There's room for both of us."

"Only if we..." House's face lit up as he felt her hands fumble with the buttons on his shirt. "Oh!"

"Shhhh." She shut him up with her lips.


	84. Chapter 83

**CHAPTER EIGHTY THREE  
**

House tore off his shirt and pushed himself against her, throwing them both onto the bed of rose petals. A shower of lights twinkled around their heads as their mouths explored each others. "Why now?" House asked as he sat up and pulled her shirt over her head.

"This could be our last chance." She pulled him back down on her, wrapping her arms around his neck, and her long, slender legs around his waist.

House moaned as he felt her rubbing against him. He ran his fingers through her hair, which was fanned out on the bed, dark against the red roses. Her lips were as red as the petals that surrounded her head.

He cupped her face in his hands, his fingers slipping into her soft hair. He lifted her head, tilting it just enough to one side, then lowered his head slowly. He hesitated, just above her. Her warm breath fell on his lips, her blue eyes looked at him pleadingly. He wanted her so bad, but he wanted to be sure. He wanted to...

Cuddy stared into his eyes. She could see his desire, feel it coming from every pore on his half naked body. She felt an oppressive tension in the air. It pressed down heavy against her, leaving her breathless. Why wasn't he doing anything? What the hell was he thinking?

She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him the rest of the way to her. Their lips collided abruptly. They began to taste each other furiously, desperately, hungrily. There was a feeling of life or death hanging in the air. All the stress and tension she'd been under was so built up inside her she thought she'd burst if she didn't do something to release it.

She threw him over onto his back. House let out a gasp at her strength. He watched her nibble fingers quickly work his button, then his zipper. He felt the cool, dank air touch his thighs as she quickly stripped off his clothes. He felt powerless beneath her super human power.

"I want you," she purred as she tore off her own clothes. "I want you now."

"I'm yours." He said, spreading his arms and legs wide, ready to do whatever she wanted.

Cuddy mounted him like an animal in heat, voraciously, greedily. She didn't want foreplay, she didn't want tender caresses, she had to release the energy that had been building up inside her for months. She had to fuck him hard.

House groaned as he felt her fingers slip around his hardened manhood. Her grip was a little tighter than he might have liked, but he found it quite pleasurable. He'd never been manhandled so roughly before, but he felt no desire to stop her.

Cuddy kneeled above her, his shaft in her hand. "You'd better be good House." She spread her legs slowly in a split like motion. The tip of his dick pressed against her clit. She began to move it back and forth, moving herself in the opposite direction. House groaned wildly. Cuddy moaned uncontrollable.

Somewhere deep within the underground home of the nymphs came a playful ringing laughter. Either of them heard it.

Cuddy lowered herself a little more, and felt House push into her. She gasped as he went where no man had gone in a long time. She let go of his shaft and lowered herself all the way. House's long dick seemed to press against the wall of her uterus as she swiveled and swerved on top of him.

She grabbed his wrists and pinned them against the bed beside his head. Bending over him, her hair falling gently into his face, she began to kiss him, wildly, passionately, short bursting kisses all over his neck, his face, his mouth.

House twisted and turned his head, trying to kiss her back, but she was moving too quickly and he felt frustrated and used. He struggled to remove his arms from her grasp, but she only tightened her grip. "I'm not done with you yet," she warned.

House panted heavily in reply. He was unable to form actual words. His vision was blurred by sweat as she slipped her tongue into his mouth, running it along the top of his mouth, sliding it along the back of his teeth. His own tongue fought it's way into her mouth, but she pulled away.

Her hips were moving wildly now, round and round. He didn't know she could move like that. It was primal, seductive, HOT. House groaned as he felt himself preparing to fire. It wasn't going to be much longer. He tried to hold back, but he was out of practice. He never had to worry about satisfying the hookers, they were being paid to make him cum, not the other way around.

"Not yet," she panted, moving faster and faster.

"I...can't...con..." His entire body erupted. He shuddered under the impact of total release. He couldn't imagine ever feeling this good.

Cuddy continued to move around on top of him. She was too close to stop now. She let go of his wrists and arched her back, holding onto his legs for support.

House looked up at her, her beautiful, pale body on full display. He felt himself growing harder again. He just had to keep going long enough to please her, then they crash into each others arms and sleep.

House grabbed her waist and pulled himself to a sitting position. He pressed one hand against her ass to keep himself from slipping out. She stopped moving to see what he was doing. She could feel his hot, throbbing dick burning inside her. She slid her legs around and wrapped them around his back. He placed his other hand on her ass and thrust her tightly against him. She gasped loudly. She'd almost lost it that time.

House began to kiss on her neck, her chest, each of her perfect breasts. He pushed her ass up and down, thrusting into her over and over. She threw her head back as he sucked on neck, harder and harder. He sucked as though she were oxygen and he was a dying man. His tongue danced across her flesh as his lips remained latched in place.

Cuddy shuddered. He hit her in just the right spot. She adjusted herself, making sure he hit her in the exact same spot next ti..."Ah!" She gasped as her nerve endings tingled to live. House, spurred on by her enthusiasm, pushed deeper, squeezing her ass in his large hands. One of his long, slender fingers slid between her cheeks. Cuddy cried out in ecstasy.

House looked at her, her face was glowing with pleasure. She was barely able to smile at him as she gasped for breath. He slid his finger a little further in and felt her body twist in shock. Still she said nothing. She was still grinding on top of him, but she was arching her back so her ass thrust out slightly. House took this as an invitation, and let his finger slide deeper inside her.

Cuddy shouted out loudly. "Oh my GOOOOOD!!!!!" She saw stars, she heard nothing but the pounding of her own blood, she felt nothing but pure ecstasy. Her whole body seemed to be erupting into wild applause. Her virgin ass quivered and clenched around his finger. She'd never experienced anything like that in her life.

House pulled out of her and she dropped to his side. They were both sticky from sweat and breathing heavily.

Cuddy couldn't think of anything to say. She wanted to thank him, but that would just be weird. She wanted to congratulate him in his skill, but again... Instead she curled up onto her side and rested her head in his arm. She put one hand on his chest, feeling it rise and fall quickly. "You'd better not have a heart attack on me," she said, her eyes looking up at him.

"I can't think of a better way to go." He smiled and pulled her tight. The words were just on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't want to say them until he knew. He wanted them to mean something when he did finally say it. "Can I go to sleep now?" He asked coyly.

"Yes House, you can go to sleep now." One of her legs slipped between his. He felt her toes brush against his calf. He shivered with the unexpectedness of her touch. "Goodnight House."

"Goodnight Cuddy." He kissed the top of her head so softly she couldn't feel it, then closed his eyes. He didn't think he could get to sleep after that, but a few minutes later he was snoring gently into the quiet room.


	85. Chapter 84

**CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR**

The next morning they woke, naked and entwined in each others arms, and in the little hiding space they'd made the night before. Cuddy woke first, and attempted to sneak out of House's arms without waking him. She failed.

"Where are you going?" House opened his eyes slowly, then looked around. If he weren't quite so naked he would have thought it was all a dream.

Cuddy sat up and looked around them anxiously. She relaxed when she saw their clothes folded neatly on a stump. Very aware of House's eyes on her, she hurried to the stump and tossed his clothes at his head. She grabbed hers and ran behind a tree.

House laughed as he watched her vanish. Then he started to dress. "You know, there's no point in being shy now." She didn't respond. "You're naked body is forever burned into my mind. I couldn't get rid of it if I wanted to."

"Which I doubt you want to do." She came out from behind the tree fully dressed. He was impressed by her speed.

"Well, don't you think highly of yourself?"

"We've got to get back, House." She looked around for anything that would point them toward the palace.

House groaned and finished buttoning his shirt. "We could stay here." House held out a hand to her and waited.

"What about Wilson and Bob?" She finally grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. It was supposed to be the other way around, but she was stronger than he was.

They headed off in the direction they thought would lead them back, and surprisingly enough, it did.

"Where the hell have you been?" Wilson looked like he hadn't slept all night, mainly because he hadn't.

"Some wood nymphs put us up for the night," House said half joking, even if it was the truth.

"Right." Wilson grumbled.

Bob walked into the room through a wall. "There you are. Donatien is furious."

"I don't care what he is." Cuddy snapped.

"I'm just the messenger." Bob held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry. Look, we have to get out of here."

"No kidding," Bob remarked snidely.

"Be a little more helpful Bob," Cuddy demanded.

"There is a passage down in the basement. It's the only one that is not being guarded, since he thinks no one knows about it. I believe his own staff are unaware of it."

"Maybe he is unaware of it too?" Wilson added helpfully.

"Doubtful. Donatien does not seem the kind of man to let something like that go undiscovered."

"He's not." Everyone turned to the door. Donatien was standing there, leaning against the doorframe casually, his arms crossed over his chest. "You weren't thinking of leaving...again?"

"Yes." Cuddy saw no point in lying to him.

"Very well, but you will miss the ball."

"Oh darn," House snotted.

Donatien merely laughed. He stopped abruptly when he saw something, different. There was something different about Gregory House, and Lisa for that matter. Damn! He shouted in his own head. Damn!

"What's wrong?" Cuddy noticed the vampire's unusual pallor.

Donatien recovered quickly. "I had invited a couple of very special guests to meet you."

"Who?" Bob's suspicion was only matched by his curiosity.

"Oh, just a couple of old friends." Donatien crossed his legs easily. "You may have heard of them? Regnisnairb and Nagesirod. Of course, since I invited them I just had to invite the other two."

"Eitak and Erohs?" House wasn't sure what to think. "They're all coming here?"

"Yes. But you go, if you think that's best. I won't stop you." As a sign that he meant this, all the windows in the room flew open. It was as though the house had let out a great sigh and relaxed all it's exits.

"When is this ball?" Bob asked skeptically.

"Why, tonight of course." Donatien's smile was impossible to read. "I took the liberty of providing each of you with a costume. I hope you like what I chose for you." With a flourish he turned and left.

"We're not staying?" Wilson asked nervously.

Bob looked at Cuddy and then House. "I'm afraid we are." He could see the wheels turning in both lovers brains. This was their chance. "I suppose there is no way to talk you out of it?"

"No Bob." Cuddy had made her decision as soon as she'd heard the first demon's name.

"You realize it's not going to be this easy?"

"Yes Bob, I know that. But this is a good, public way of meeting them, and assessing each of them." Cuddy felt House nodding agreement behind her. She hadn't noticed his arm around her waist.

"Do what you must." Bob resigned himself to the impending disaster.


	86. Chapter 85

**CHAPTER EIGHTY FIVE**

As promised, there was a costume waiting in each of their rooms. House picked up the shiny, glittery skirted top and brightly colored leggings with disgust. "I am NOT wearing this!" He realized he was alone. He stormed into Cuddy's room and held up the outfit. "I am NOT..." he dropped his costume and his jaw.

Cuddy had already tried her dress on. It was long and made all of gold. The top fit her like skin and shimmered in the candlelight from above. "It's only for one night," she said, but he wasn't listening. "House?" She waved a hand in his face as she walked over to him. "House," she smiled, and raised his jaw shut. "Thank you." She kissed his cheek gently.

"I didn't do anything." He shook himself out of the spell.

"Exactly." She smiled. "Being rendered speechless, especially you, is a huge complement." She turned and headed out onto the balcony for air. The dress was very tight and she was still getting used to it.

House followed her. "I'm not wearing that dorky outfit."

"Fine House, don't." She watched as an actual horse drawn pumpkin carriage rode up to the front gate. She shook her head to make sure she was seeing right.

"You see it too?" House asked, watching a beautiful blonde get out of the carriage. "Is that supposed to be Cinderella?"

"I don't know. But this land is filled with fairies. Anything's possible."

"Yeah." House shrugged.

An all black carriage with four magnificent black centaurs rode up. Cuddy watched as a tall, elegant woman emerged. She was mesmerizing, and Cuddy was glad that House had gone back inside. She didn't want him rendered speechless by anyone else anymore.

She turned and went inside. She smiled as she saw House laid out on her bed. His arms tucked behind his head. "Can't I stay here? I'll be backup. If you need me..."

"How would you know if I needed you?" She walked around the bed.

"Send Bob." He wanted to pull her down on top of him and reenact the night before, but he knew she'd be made at him. It was best to wait till after the ball, if they both survived it.

"Fine."

"Fine?" There must be a catch.

"You can stay up here and take a nap while I spent the evening in the arms of Donatien." She smiled triumphantly. "He will be quite happy to have you out of the way."

"You wouldn't!" House sat up.

"I don't think I'll have much choice. At least if you're around I could dance with you and cling to your arm all night, but..."

"Wilson. You can cling to Wilson." House thought he could trust Wilson, certainly more than that damned vampire.

"I think Wilson deserves to be the swinging bachelor tonight." They'd put the poor man through enough. He deserved to have a little fun.

"Fine. I'll go. But I won't like it." House got up with a pout. "And I'm NOT wearing that stupid costume."

"I didn't ask you to." She took his hand and they went out into the hallway.

Wilson wasn't far behind. He came out looking like a crazed jester. One leg was grape purple, the other bright yellow. His tunic was bright red with a green and blue ruffle collar around his neck and a matching sash around his waist. He wore a glittering green mask with red yellow and blue feathers coming out of the top.

House doubled over in laughter, gripping the wall to keep from falling over. Cuddy pinched his arm, but he couldn't stop, even if he'd tried.

"Why aren't you dressed?" Wilson looked terrified.

"I am dressed." House spit out through more laughs.

"You're not in your costume." Wilson's heart was sinking.

"Well spotted." House took Cuddy's arm and led her down the hallway.

"You're supposed to be in costume, House. It's a costume party." Wilson trailed off after them.

"I'm supposed to be at home, on my couch, watching Tivoed episodes of Rock of Love, but I'm not doing that either."

The trio paused at the top of the grand staircase. Below them were hundreds of creatures of all shapes and sizes. Those who wore clothes wore brightly colored, glittering outfits, the most theatrical and elaborate things Cuddy had ever seen. Those who wore fur instead still managed to adorn themselves with scarves and masks and hats and other sparkly, costumy things.

"Now your the one who looks silly," Wilson called in House's ear before pushing past him and descending into the crowd.

"No. Now I'm the only one who doesn't look like an idiot." House corrected, though Wilson was already gone.

"Do you think they're here yet?" Cuddy looked out over the sea of heads, looking for something that could be a demon.

"I doubt it. Evil overlords always arrive fashionably late."

"Right." Cuddy rolled her eyes. "Just try not to piss anything off or get yourself killed, okay?"

"I don't know why I bothered to come then." House held onto the railing as Cuddy helped him down the stairs slowly. Infarctions could be so humiliating. Especially since every eye in the room was now on them. It wasn't until Donatien spoke that House realized they were actually looking at him, behind them.

"Welcome, everyone. I would like you all to meet my most honored guests." For a moment House thought he was introducing the demons, but he put a hand on House's shoulder, and another on Cuddy's, causing both mortals to shiver at his icy touch. "This is the Chosen One, Lisa Cuddy." Gasps filled the air. The Chosen One's job was to kill half of the creatures there. "And her side kick, Gregory House." Donatien sounded less than thrilled at the introduction.

House bowed defiantly at the crowd, then whispered over to Cuddy. "Why are we here again?"

Cuddy was starting to wonder the same thing.


	87. Chapter 86

**CHAPTER EIGHTY SIX**

Wilson gravitated toward a glowing young woman wearing little more than a pair of leaves and a few flowers. He poured on the charm and they were dancing in a matter of seconds. House watched enviously, not realizing that Donatien had taken Cuddy's arm and was leading her into the crouwd. House hurried to catch up with them.

"My dear Lisa, you look magnificent." Donatien pulled her into his arms and began to glide across the dance floor. Anyone in their way quickly scurried off to the side, letting them float by carelessly.

House grabbed a tall, lean woman dressed all in black and danced off after them, grumbling, and keeping his eyes on Cuddy the whole time.

"Thank you," Cuddy said tentatively. "It's a beautiful dress."

"The dress is nothing, if not fitted onto the right body." Donatien looked at her hungrily.

"It's not going to work Donatien." She was careful to say his name clearly.

"I have no idea what you are talking about my dear." He dipped her, then pulled her tightly into his arms. She felt the air escape her lungs, but focused on House, who was trying desperately to get closer, despite the constant mob of people that seemed to be blocking his path.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. This party isn't about helping me, it's about catching me." She looked at him with hard eyes.

Donatien threw his head back carelessly and laughed gently. "You do have quite the wrong impression of me, my lady. I mean you no harm." He kissed her neck gently. She hated that she let him. "I want only to help you."

House felt the crowd close in on him tightly. He tried to push them out of his way, but a large ogre seemed hell bent on keeping him from seeing what was happening. He started lashing out at anything in his way with his cane.

Cuddy was falling hypnotically into Donatien's arms. She only hoped House would reach her in time.

"You and I are after the same thing mon chere." Donatien spun her around, rising out through a window and into the night. "It is in both our interest if we join forces and become one." He spun her around, then pulled her back into a tight embrace. Her head lolled onto his shoulder.

House reached the window with great effort, and many enemies. He felt the familiar cold chill of Bob nearby. "What now?"

"I really shouldn't do this," Bob looked around the room, a glint in his eye. "I'm not really sure it will work."

"We've got to do something!" House watched as Donatien held Cuddy's head in his hand. He could see the glint of a fang in the moonlight.

"Hold on." Bob vanished into the crowd. House tried to follow him, but Bob moved fast and vanished somewhere around that obnoxious winged horse who kicked House earlier in the evening.

The centaur rushed toward House, who dodged out of the way.

"Get on," came Bob's familiar voice.

"What?" House looked for the ghost.

"Over here, stupid!" Bob didn't have time for something witty. He wasn't sure how long he could maintain control over the centaur, or how long it would take for Donatien to make his move.

House's brain clicked and he winced as he jumped atop the horse, grabbing his thick main to keep from falling off as the creature spread his white wings wide and took off into the sky.

Donatien saw them charging toward him. He sunk his teeth deep into the soft white flesh of Cuddy's neck. She felt it happen, but her arms and legs were too numb to move against him.

House cried out and yanked on Bob/Pegasus' mane sharply. Bob let out a sharp cry, and sped up. His heart was sinking fast. He rammed hard into Donatien, knocking the vampire out of the sky. House fell off his back after the also falling Cuddy. He grabbed at her as they made haste toward the ground.

Bob spun in the air, rearing up on his hind legs, then charged once more toward the vampire. Donatien had recovered from the initial attack, and was ready to fight. Blood, Cuddy's blood, trickled from his mouth. He licked his lips, powered by her sweet, hot blood, and flew straight at the horse.

House fell hard against the earth, Cuddy landing on top of him, unconscious. He looked up at the sky, watching the battle taking place above him, while he cradled her in his arms. It was too late. There was no pulse, no breath escaped her lips. He felt a surge of rage that had no outlet. He let out a scream that would wake the dead.

Bob, momentarily distracted by House's cry, felt Donatien's teeth sink deep into his horse neck. He quickly separated himself from his host, apologized to the dying horse, and flew down to House. "Is she..."

"NO!" House held her tight. "NO! She's not!" He saw the vampire speeding down toward them. "BOB!"

Bob turned, but it was too late, there was nothing he could do. Suddenly a burst of flame came forth from the woods chasing the vampire back.

Gasps were heard from the mansion. Moments later, half the party was out on the lawn, mouths gaping open as the woods were aflame.

Wilson came out of the crowd and looked at the sight of his friends. He ran up to House and dropped to his knees. "Is she..."

"NO!" House screamed. "Don't you dare say she is!"

Wilson's eyes held fear. "Of course not. She's fine. We have to get out of here." He looked at the crowd, closing in on them. "Where's Donatien?" Wilson's eye caught the two red holes in Cuddy's neck and his head started shaking back and forth uncontrollably. "He didn't...she isn't..." he was backing up without realizing it. "No...it can't...it can't be..."

"Pull yourself together!" Bob snapped, wishing he could have smacked the man in the head. "We've got to get out of here."

A small blonde woman with a cheery face walked over to them. "Stay where you are." She held up a hand. Unable to do anything else, they remained where they were.

Before they could blink, they felt something pulling at them, a rush of gravity coming not from below them, but from all around seemed to pull them in every direction at once. House held Cuddy as tight as he could, afraid he would lose her in the force of the whatever was happening.

When it ended, when they felt their bodies return to normal gravity, when breath reentered his lungs, he looked down at her, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"She's been bitten," the blond said to the air. "That's not good."

"No shit that's not good." House snapped.

"I'm not sure what we're going to do about that." The woman said in a maternal, grandmothery sort of voice.

"If you can do something, you'd bloody well better," Bob snapped. The fact that he couldn't hold Cuddy was making him even worse than normal. He wanted to blow things up, he wanted to destroy and hurt and kill.

"There is nothing I can do." The woman sing songed. "She will be one of those she hunts. Perhaps the vampire Donatien thought it poetic justice." She half smiled and House and Bob both wanted to punch her smug little face in. However, Bob couldn't, and House was still trying to decide if she really was an enemy, and if so, why she saved them.

"You know not who I am." She said it as a statement more than a question, but House answered with a sharp, petulant no anyway. "I am Nagesirod. I believe you've been looking for me."

House felt like he'd been punched in the head himself. THIS was the one who was supposed to help them? This clueless old woman?

"I will leave you for a moment. Please relax. You are going to need all your strength for what is next."

She vanished between gossamer curtains.


	88. Chapter 87

**CHAPTER EIGHTY SEVEN**

It felt like hours had passed. House remained on the floor, Cuddy held lovingly in his lap. Wilson paced around the small room. There were no windows. Everything was made of compacted earth. There was a damp, fresh smell in the cool air. Bob stood sighing and passing his hand through the wall.

"It's thick, at least as thick as my arm." Bob pulled his hand back in once more. "I believe we are under ground. It makes sense. She is the earth demon."

"Great. So glad this makes sense to you," House snapped.

"There's no point getting snippy with me..."

"Please stop." Cuddy's voice was weak, but it stopped them all in their tracks.

"Lisa, you're awake!" House felt her wrist for a pulse. There was none.

"I'm sorry Greg." She breathed softly. "I thought..."

"Shhhh." He held his finger to her lips. "Do you know what happened?"

She nodded. "You have to leave me. Go home. Go somewhere safe."

"Not a chance." House pushed the hair out of her eyes.

"You can't stay with me. I...I won't be able to control it forever." She wept.

"We'll think of something." House looked up at Wilson. "She's right, Wilson. You should go back. Make sure the real world still exists."

"I'm not leaving you." Wilson was too loyal to leave his friends now.

"Guess you're stuck with us then." House looked down at her.

"I..."

Bob looked at her, she looked at him. He would understand. "Lisa, it's the only way." He felt guilty, but he had to side with the boys on this one.

Cuddy began to cry uncontrollably. House held her in his arms, rocking her gently. He wished he could tell her it would be alright, but it wouldn't. He wished he could tell her he'd take care of her, he'd protect her, but he couldn't. All he could do was hold her, and let her cry.

"Where are we?" Cuddy finally stopped the tears and looked around them.

"You're not going to believe this, but Nagesirod saved us."

Cuddy tried to smile weakly. "First stroke of luck we've had in a long time."

"That's not entirely true." House was thinking about their night with the wood nymphs. Surely she hadn't forgotten about that. The pale pink that was rising in her dead cheeks told him she hadn't.

"Has she said anything helpful?" Cuddy needed answers.

"Not yet." Wilson fretted.

"But she will," House guaranteed. "She will."

Bob looked down at the two lovers. His heart felt a little flicker of compassion. "I'll go see if I can find her." He vanished through the wall. Wilson looked after him helplessly.

"I'll uh, I've got to find a bathroom." Wilson went into an adjoining room quickly.

"They've left us alone." House looked down at her.

"You're not afraid to be alone with me?" She half teased.

"Not a chance." He leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were as cold as her flesh. He felt a shiver run through him as his warm lips first touched hers, but he didn't let it stop him. It was just something he'd have to get used to.

She pulled him into her arms, rolling him down onto his back and pinning him down under her. She was kissing him ferociously now, needily. Now House was scared. He had never seen that look in her eyes before. It was a look of desperation, a look of cold desire. It was the look Donatien had when he'd bitten her.

House screamed and Wilson came running into the room just in time. Cuddy had bared her fangs. Wilson pulled her while House pushed, and they somehow managed to pull her supernaturally strong ass off him.

Once away from the temptation of House's flesh, Cuddy seemed to settle down, but she was sobbing uncontrollably.

House pulled her into his arms again. "It'll be okay."

"No, House, it won't." She cried, her hands running across his back. She fought back the desire to feed. "It'll never be okay again. Don't you see? I have to go. I have to do this alone now. You're not safe with me."

House held her. "Shhhh. We'll talk about it later. We'll think of something." He rocked her gently to sleep, then looked desperately at Wilson. "What now?"

Wilson just looked back at him. He couldn't think of a single useful thing to say.


	89. Chapter 88

CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT 

The next few days were rough. Nagesirod was avoiding them, Cuddy was ill, and all Wilson could do was pace anxiously.

"We could go get help." Wilson stared into the room.

"From whom?" Bob looked down his nose at the annoying little man.

Wilson racked his brain for an answer. "Christ! We've got to do something!" He turned toward the wall in frustration.

"Bob?" House looked over at the even paler than usual ghost.

"I'll see what I can do." For the fifth time in five days Bob vanished through the solidly compacted earth.

Cuddy stirred on the bed. "House..." she pulled at the restraints they'd put on her after she attacked Wilson a few nights ago.

"Shhh." House pressed his finger to her lips gently, then pulled it away when he saw the look of hunger in her eyes.

That hunger turned to pain as she realized what was happening. He was afraid to even touch her now. "I'm sorry House."

"Why? Why didn't you stay away from him?" House was furious. He'd asked Bob to hunt down Donatien, but Bob always came back with the same answer, he couldn't find him. House was starting to doubt the truth of that statement.

"It has to be this way." Tears flowed down her cheeks. House gently brushed them away with his thumb. She smiled at him weakly and felt the sharp fangs press against her lips. She cried more.

"We're going to find a way to bring you back, I promise you that."

"No!" The strong, authoritative voice came from the doorway. They all turned and saw the small but powerful demon standing there, watching them with red, glowing eyes. "This is as it must be."

"Nagesirod." House said the name with awe and contempt.

"I am sorry to have been away for so long. Things needed doing." She walked over to the beautiful new vampire and brushed away a bit of her hair. "You know this is the way?"

Cuddy nodded.

"What the hell are you talking about?" House felt his hands clenching into fists. Wilson saw it too, and hurried to his friend's side, putting a soothing hand on House's shoulder.

"She needs strength." Nagesirod turned and headed out the door.

House, despite Wilson's attempts to stop him, stormed off after her.

"No!" He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. "You don't get to waltz in here after a week, drop some cryptic bomb and walk out. I demand to know what's going on."

"Or you will do what?" The demon did not look concerned, just curious. A slow, placating smile spread across her face as he struggled for an answer. "Worry not about that Dr. House. I will explain it all to you as you wish." She led him into an opulent living room and sat him at the couch.

"You will not like hearing what I have to say." She listened as he carried on a bit, then, when she grew bored, she held out a hand. He stopped talking. "Lisa is the pawn in a rather dangerous game. She needs to be moved to the battlefield, but I will not move her there unarmed."

"She is not a pawn..." her hand stopped him again.

"I told you you would not like it. She is, in the eyes of others, dispensable, but we are not foolish enough to send her on a fools errand. Donatien gave her his strength." She held out her hand before he could get a word out. "He is still recuperating, and under my protection. He played his role, and now it is Lisa's turn to play hers.

"She knows this. Do you not see it in her eyes? She knows what must be done, and what will be the cost. It is now time for you to choose." She looked for recognition in his eyes but didn't see it yet. "She will want to kill you. She can't help it. It is who she is now."

"It is NOT who she is. It will NEVER be who she is." House's anger was stronger than the demon's lazy attempt to silence him.

"Be that as it may, the Lisa you knew and loved is no more. She is gone. She has, in nearly every way, died."

"NO!" House stormed off.

"You are a most difficult man, Gregory House." Nagesirod frowned as she watched him leave.


	90. Chapter 89

**CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE**

Bob watched the good doctor storm down the hallway, then went off to find Donatien. How surprising that the vampire had been here all along.

Donatien was hidden deep inside the castle, in what some might have called a dungeon, but that Nagesirod seemed to imagine as an infirmary.

Bob looked over the bottles of potions and medicines that cluttered a low shelf along the wall, then walked over to the bed where the pale, handsome vampire was chained, much like his victim had been chained on the other side of the castle.

"Hello vampire," Bob said, looking down into Donatien's face.

Donatien's eyes fluttered open. Fear blazed across his face for a second, before he remembered Bob couldn't harm him. "Hrothbert of Bainbridge, be gone."

Bob laughed. "You can't compel me, vampire."

"You can't harm me, ghost."

"Why?" Bob was done with the small talk.

Donatien knew exactly what he was asking. "The Demon forced me."

"With what? You can't die, you don't love anyone but yourself..."

"That's not true." Donatien snapped.

"She threatened your true love then?" Bob was interested. He himself had done some very dangerous and stupid things in the name of true love.

"Yes." Donatien turned away.

"Are you here willingly? The Demon said she was protecting you."

"I don't care what her motives are. No, I am not here willingly." Anger fumed off Donatien.

"Well, this is interesting." Bob looked around the room, thinking. Something strange was going on here and he couldn't quite put his finger on it yet.

"How is she?" Donatien spoke softly. Bob nearly hadn't heard the question.

"Who? Lisa? The woman you condemned to an eternity of suffering and agony?"

Donatien clenched his jaw tightly. It felt like his teeth would shatter.

"Oh, she's just dandy. Chained up like an animal, her friends are terrified to even touch her, she's frightened and alone and is about to fight a battle that will most likely lead to her death."

"It will not. Don't you see, she can't die now." Donatien didn't make this sound like a good thing.

Bob looked at him curiously.

"They don't want her to die because they know the battle will never end." A tear filled each of his dark, hypnotic eyes. "They don't plan on ever letting her go. They lied. To all of us." He was weeping openly now. He felt like such a fool. He thought he was saving her, helping her cheat death, helping her end the demon war once and for all. But that wasn't the plan at all.

"You had no idea." Bob could see the truth in the vampire's soggy eyes. "They lied to you."

Donatien nodded his head desperately. "Don't trust any of them. Not even your current hostess. She does not have your best interest at heart."

Bob heard footsteps on the compacted earth just beyond the door. He faded away as the door swung open.

"And who in Hellanto do you think you're talking to?" Nagesirod peered around the room.

Donatien continued to talk, muttering incoherently, making his eyes go wild with crazed fury.

The demon frowned at him. "Perhaps a little too much morphine." She fumbled with some needles and bottles and, once satisfied, plunged a needle into his arm. "This will make the voices go away dear. And tonight, I have a nice tasty meal reserved for you." Nagesirod smiled as she turned and left.

Donatien's eyes widened nervously. "Warn him," he whispered into the air, hoping Bob was still around to hear him.


	91. Chapter 90

**CHAPTER NINTY**

Cuddy stared into House's eyes. "You have to go," she pleaded.

"I can't." He'd tried to run ever since Bob's warning, but they were trapped. Every hallway he went down had led to a dead end. He tried to dig his way out, but the solid earth that made up the walls of Nagesirod's castle were too strong.

"Bob?" She looked to her ghostly friend for help.

Bob looked glum as he hung his head in defeat. "The idiot's right. There's no escape."

"Idiot" House's temper, shortened by their current situation, flared.

"House, please." She needed to think. Her blood lust has subsided, and the men had freed her from her restraints. She was now pacing back and forth. "This is no time for a fight."

"Fine, but that was uncalled for," House shot his tongue out at Bob. Bob rolled his eyes and sneered back.

"We can't just sit here and wait for her to pick us off."

"Us? She has no intention of picking you off, she..."

"No, she has worse plans for me." When Bob filled them in on what he'd seen and heard, she knew the full nature of what was going on. She was a pawn in their demon war, and she was now a killing machine.

Bob yearned to comfort her. She looked so pale and helpless. Instead he watched as House pulled her over and put his arms around her. He could see her shaking gently as she wept in the man's arms.

"Wilson, come with me." Bob had decided to take action.

Wilson looked at the ghost matching him in pallor. "I...uh..."

"Come!" Bob vanished through the door.

The demon must have felt very sure of herself, because she'd left their door unlocked, and they were free to roam the castle at leisure, for whatever it was worth.

Wilson followed Bob out into the hall. "Where are we..."

"Shhh." 

Bob followed a series of corridors Wilson wasn't sure he'd yet been down until they stopped at a door. "Wait here." Bob vanished through the door, then came back. "It's safe, come on."

"What's safe?" Wilson frowned unhappily as he jiggled the handle of the door. "It's locked."

Bob, who had vanished again through the door stuck his head out. "Damn! Can't you pick a lock?"

"I've never tried." Wilson stared at the lock for a while. Bob fluttered around in frustration. There was a strange fluttering sound overhead. Wilson swatted at the insect he thought was buzzing his shoulder.

"Wait!" Bob recognized the small figure at once. "It's a nymph."

The tiny woman landed on Wilson's shoulder. Wilson fought the instinct to brush her off.

"Where did you come from?" Bob leaned his large white face toward her.

"The Wood." She answered in a high pitched tinkling voice.

"How did you get here?" Bob wondered if there was a way out after all.

"I took a path you cannot attempt." She looked down at the door. "You require assistance?"

"Yes, yes." Bob shook his massive head.

The small nymph flittered down to the lock and within seconds, the door clicked open. "I must run, but tell the Chosen One she is not alone."

Wilson watched this whole exchange in awe. He watched as the nymph sailed off down the dark hallway. "What was that?"

"Don't worry about it." Bob walked into the room and smiled at Donatien. "We're here to rescue you."

Donatien looked up in a haze. A long tube ran into his arm.

"Unhook that thing!" Bob ordered Wilson who quickly obeyed. "And untie him."

"But..."

"He's going to help us get out of here." Bob didn't really have a plan yet, but he knew that two powerful vampires would be more affective than one, and Donatien had proven himself a very good man to have on your side.

"But he..."

Donatien looked ashamed. "I had no choice," he whispered in a dry, rasping voice.

"You should have died to protect her!" Wilson shouted.

Donatien merely laughed. "That wasn't the choice."

Wilson unchained the man sloppily, trying to cause as much pain as he could. The restraints had been incredibly strong, made of a metal Wilson had never seen before, but weren't locked, so it was easy to set the vampire free.

"We must hurry." Bob thought he heard trouble approaching.

Surprisingly, they did not run into trouble getting back to their room. Whatever it was Bob had heard approaching, it's attention had been diverted. There seemed to be a loud ruckus coming from one of the long corridors they passed.

House and Cuddy were waiting for them anxiously. House still had his arms around her, and her head was rested on his shoulder. Wilson dropped the set of chains Bob had forced him to take and dropped down on the bed.

"What are those for?" House looked at the pile of metal curiously.

"It's a special metal, you can't find it in your realm, and it's about the only thing that can hold a vampire. I thought it might come in handy." He looked reluctantly at Cuddy and then Donatien.

"Good idea," Donatien added, hopeful that this plan of Bob's didn't include killing him. "But we've got to get out of here now. I'm not sure which one of you she wants first, but trust me, before this is over, she'll see you both dead." Donatien was looking at House and Wilson as he spoke.

"We know. And YOU were going to do the killing, weren't you?" Wilson snapped.

"Not now." House said absently, his mind racing on the possibilities. "Right, so now what?" He looked at Bob.

"We find a way out."

"There's only one way I know of." Donatien added excitedly. "But it's heavily guarded."

"That's why we let you join us." Bob sneered. "Believe me, if we didn't need you, you wouldn't be here."

"I know." Donatien glanced over at Cuddy. His heart sank. She looked so...dead inside. "I'm sorry Lisa."

She tightened her grip on House, burrowing into his arms. "Let's just go."


	92. Chapter 91

**CHAPTER NINTY ONE**

As they approached a large wooden gate, guarded by two giant Cerberus, Donatien stopped them. He turned to Cuddy and looked into her eyes. "You have to be prepared to kill. Don't be afraid of it." He knew what she was feeling, as he had felt it too, hundreds of years ago. "I won't lie to you Lisa. It's going to be harder to control, once you've made your first kill, but you are strong, and you have your friends. This has to be done. You have to let down your guard."

"I can't." She trembled. The only thing holding her up were his hands on her arms.

"You can. I know you better than you think, and I know you are strong." House wanted to deck him. "We can do this, together."

Cuddy bit her lip and nodded. She knew she had no choice. She looked over at House. She mouthed the words 'I love you', then followed Donatien into battle.

The humans, and ghost, stayed back as the two vampires summoned up their strength and attacked. House struggled to stay out of it. He wanted so badly to fight, but Wilson was holding him back, Bob warning him not to get in the way. "Until we have some sort of weapons, you've got to let her do the work."

Cuddy felt the fangs growing in her mouth. She opened her mouth and let out an evil hiss. Her eyes blazed red as she looked at her prey. Two large, three headed dogs stared at her with the same desire for blood that she was feeling. Donatien said something to her, but all she heard was the pumping of their blood echoing in her ears.

She guessed what he'd said when he went after one of he dogs, luring it away from the other. She followed suit, getting the remaining dog to step away from the gate. In the distance she heard Bob yell "now" and saw, out of the corner of her blood red eye, the three men running through the gate.

She could have stopped then, run through the gate after them and gotten away. She looked for Donatien. He was still fighting, sinking his fangs deep into one of the necks of the Cerberus. She knew what he was feeling, the need for blood.

She taunted the dog in front of her, jumping out of it's reach as it lunged at her. She could hear footsteps in the distance, running toward them. She could smell more blood.

"Come on!" Bob's voice infiltrated her ears. She looked toward the gate and one of the heads lunged at her, biting her arm and pulling her up into the air.

"NOOOOO!" Donatien's voice blended with Houses. Donatien reached her first, House being held back by his best friend, cursed and screamed.

Donatien lunged at the beast, getting a good chunk of it's chest in his teeth.

The Cerberus flung Cuddy out of it's mouth. She went soaring across the great hall and slammed into a dirt wall, knocking the wind out of her. House broke free from Wilson and rushed to her side.

Donatien was now trapped between the two angry dogs. He bared his teeth in anger. He wasn't going down without a fight. The footsteps were upon them now, and Nagesirod was standing in a doorway, followed by an army of angry mole men.

"Oh crap!" House looked up to see the army, then down at the unconscious Cuddy. Wilson was at his side now, and lifted her into his arms. House scowled wishing he could be the one carrying her to safety.

"Hurry!" Bob felt more impotent in his ghostlike state than he'd ever felt before.

Donatien had mortally wounded one of the dogs, but he turned to see the army charging toward him and knew he couldn't defeat them all. He watched as their direction became clear. They were after Cuddy. He swooped through the air looking eerily bat like as his alleys rushed through the gate.

One of the mole men struck him down with a spear. Donatien fell to the ground with a thud. He felt a hand on the back of his neck, dragging him through the gates. Once on the other side he scrambled to his feet, relieved to see Cuddy awake and standing over him. They all heard the cry of the demon, ordering their death. As one they ran into the woods, unsure what they would do or where they would go.

Small glints of light led them safely through the woods. They could hear the mole army charging toward them, gaining ground with each step. They followed the lights through a small opening in a rock before realizing they were trapped. They'd entered a small cave. It wouldn't take long for the army to sniff them out.

"What now?" Wilson said in a high pitched panic.

"We wait." Bob didn't add the 'to die' bit, thinking it too morbid.

A cool breeze blew in from somewhere in the small cave. When they turned in confusion to see what it was, they discovered a long, narrow tunnel that hadn't been there when they'd entered the cave. No one really wanted to venture down that tunnel, but the sound of Nagesirod's voice saying the word cave prompted action, and one by one they hurried through the tunnel.

They felt themselves climbing up higher and higher into the cliff. "Where are we going?" Wilson asked.

"How the hell should I know?" House answered.

"Shhhh." Cuddy could hear something in front of them. It sounded like the beating of a heart, the pumping of blood.

Donatien heard it too. He stopped and listened for a moment. "There is something or someone at the end of this tunnel. Be ready for a fight."

They continued up the tunnel, which grew larger and larger until they no longer had to stoop down, and could walk first two abreast then three then more. And as they progressed, the tunnel was no longer round and made of compacted earth and roots. The floor had changed to a shining marble, and the walls were lined with silk. From the ceiling hung golden chandeliers. It was no longer a tunnel but a hallway, and at the end of the hallway they saw an ornate golden door.

"Should we knock?" House asked, looking back at his rag tag partners.

"It would be rude to just barge in." Bob shrugged.

Donatien, however, swung open the door, ready to attack anything that moved.

They were in some sort of palace chamber, a throne room. There was a glittering diamond covered throne on a pedestal in the center of the room. Great velvet draperies hung around the wall, each with a different crest or coat of arms on it. Massive paintings hung nestled between each coat of arms. There was, however, no one in sight.

Great candles burned in silver outstretched arms, and the room had the general feeling of having just been in use. "Where did they go?" Cuddy took a step forward into the room. There had been no sound of the mole army since they entered the tunnel, so that threat was far from her mind.

Bob looked around in awe and horror. "I don't think we should be in here," he said slowly.

"Why not?" House didn't like being told what he should and shouldn't do. Even if his life was in danger.

"That's why not." Bob pointed toward the throne, which had burst into flames. A loud, collective gulp could be heard.

When the flames subsided, a tall, slender figure sat on the throne. She looked out at them with cold blue eyes. "Hello," she said cryptically.

"Hello," House took a step forward. "Where the hell are we?" He'd never been good at protocol.

She laughed and the candles flickered gaily around the room. "Perhaps I should ask who the hell are you?"

House narrowed his eyes. "I didn't think you needed to ask."

She smiled. "I don't."

"You haven't answered my question."

"No. I haven't." She stood up and her stature became even more apparent. Her raven hair floated behind her in a breeze that no one else felt. "Nor shall I, because there is no easy answer. I could say you are in my home, but that wouldn't fully explain where you are. Heaven?" She laughed. "Heaven and hell are just manmade representations of things you don't understand. Let's just say you are at the end of your journey and at it's beginning."

"What the..." Cuddy put her hand over House's mouth to shut him up.

"May I ask, who are you?" Cuddy had a million questions racing through her mind, but she felt this was the safest one to start with.

The lady smiled politely. "I am Mabinogia, Queen of the Fairy's." She bowed politely to her guests.

Donatien and Bob both let out an audible gasp. House, Wilson and Cuddy turned to look at them. They were bowing down respectfully to the Queen. House scoffed, but Cuddy curtseyed and Wilson joined the others in a bow.

Mabinogia's eyes bore into House. "You are the key."

"The what?" House snotted, tapping his cane on the marble floor with annoyance.

The Queen smiled down at him, and the tapping noise stopped, though he was still making the motions. "Our cryptic ways do annoy you, don't they Gregory House?"

House stopped tapping his cane. It wasn't any fun without the annoying sound anyway. He stared challengingly up at the Queen. "I think you're all full of crap."

"House!" Cuddy said warningly.

Mabinogia laughed lightly. "It's alright Lisa Cuddy, let him speak. I find him amusing." She sat back down on her throne gently.

"Amusing!?" House was furious, but Cuddy snickered under her breath. That might just be, in House's mind, the worst thing anyone had ever called him.

"Now, you must be tired..."

"The..." Cuddy hated to interrupt, but she had to know.

"They can't come here. You are safe." She waved her hand and two of the velvet curtains parted, revealing another corridor. A bare-chested, well built young man came out and bowed. "If you'll follow Horus, he will show you to your rooms." She smiled graciously then vanished.


	93. Chapter 92

**CHAPTER NINTY TWO**

Horus led them down a gilded corridor to a trio of doors. "Her Royal Highness has prepared a room for each of you. It didn't take long to do the head count and realize there were one too many people for the number of rooms.

Bob realized he didn't count, as there was a glittering pedestal in one of the rooms, with a red velvet cushion on top of it, just the right size for his skull. Cuddy took it out and placed it gently on the pillow and it fit perfectly.

Also in the room was a vast metal coffin. Donatien looked at it, knowing it was his immediately. It was made of the same mysterious metal as the bonds Nagesirod had used on him. The only material strong enough to hold a vampire at bay. He nodded approvingly, accepting his fate.

The next room had a single bed, decorated in a man cave sort of way, all dark paneling and deep rich plaids. There were vintage posters lining the wall, some movies, but mostly Vargas girls, pin-ups that simply screamed James Wilson's room.

Wilson smiled to himself, trying to not look so happy with his setting, but he missed home and the bed looked so warm and inviting, and he thought he smelled the faint hint of perfume in the air. "Night." He waved the rest out of the room and shut the door.

House took Cuddy's hand and followed Horus to the last door. He was smiling at her, but she looked away. The idea of his locking her in a coffin for the night tore at her.

Horus opened the door on the most opulent room of all. It was draped in gossamer and gold, soft candle light danced on the walls, a phantom piano filled the room with soft music. A tear welled in Cuddy's eyes. It was such a beautiful sight after all the horror they'd seen. But something was missing.

"There's no..."

"Her Royal Highness thought you might not be ready for suck an uninviting rest." He motioned toward the bed. "She thought you might prefer something a little less suffocating." There were chains on the bed, just like the ones she'd been in before.

Cuddy curled into House's arms.

"If you would prefer, I can arrange for a coffin..."

"No!" House spoke quickly. "This will be fine." He held Cuddy tightly, afraid to see her crying. "I'll take care of it." He waved the half naked man out of the room.

"You'd be safer if I were..."

"No!" House walked her over to the bed. "You are not dead to me Cuddy. I'm not locking you away in some tomb." He gently lowered her to the bed. "Not when I can tie you up." He tried a weak joke and a smile.

She forced the corners of her mouth up, but her heart wasn't in it. "I want you to take Wilson and go home." She laid back with him guiding her down and felt him lifting her arms over her head.

"I'm sorry about this." He kissed her softly as he closed the shackles around her wrists.

"No you're not." It was her turn to try and joke. She was sick of being scared, sick of being miserable. She needed some small piece of their old life back.

"Well, not entirely." He closed the shackles around her ankles. "Comfy?"

"Not really." She smiled weakly, but House saw the small spark of life in her eyes. No, she wasn't dead yet, and he would do anything he could to keep it that way.


	94. Chapter 93

**CHAPTER NINTY THREE**

Wilson thought he heard something, the rustle of the wind through the curtains? He looked but saw nothing. He began to undress. He thought he felt something. Hands, running along his back, up over his shoulders. He turned quickly, but no one was there. He shook his head. So much had happened to him lately, he must be losing his mind.

He unbuttoned his shirt and before he could slip it off himself, the feeling of hands returned, and the shirt fell down his shoulders, guided by an unseen force. He spun around, nearly toppling over. "Show yourself!" He demanded into the empty room.

Nothing happened for a moment, then, without warning, his belt began to unbuckle. He stared down at it, terror fighting with excitement. The belt slid out of the loops of his pants and his button popped itself open. He gulped nervously as he heard his zipper cut through the silence as whatever was undressing him slid it down to the end of it's path.

"Who are you?" He whispered as he felt hands brushing against his bare chest, pushing him down onto the bed.

Unless he was imagining things, which he was not ready to dismiss, he heard a delicate laughter float though the room.

"Who are you?" He whimpered helplessly.

He felt hot breath in his ear, but still saw no sign of who or what was producing it. "Shhhhh," it hissed delicately.

A strange relief came over him when he heard the high, feminine sound. At least it was a female, whatever it was.

Wilson watched his pants slide down his body. Despite his terror he felt a stirring in his shorts. It had been a long time since a woman had undressed him, if it was indeed a woman. He lost his shorts a moment later.

Whatever it was seemed to have stopped. Wilson couldn't feel the gently touch, or the soft breath on his flesh. He closed his eyes, willing her to come back. Then he felt something warm and soft and wet enveloping his penis. What could only have been a tongue was sliding down his throbbing shaft.

Wilson cried out as the mouth began to suck lightly on him, pulling his ecstasy to the surface. He opened his eyes, just to see if she had appeared, but no one was there. He squinted, hoping to catch an outline, some haze, a change in the light that would indicate he wasn't imagining all this.

He felt the tension mounting inside him. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to hold her and feel her and know she was real, but when he reached out, he felt nothing. Even in the space he knew she must occupy, there was nothing but his own hand. And still, she sucked at him. As his leg attempted to wrap around what should have been his waist, but fell against the bed, as his hand filled the void that should have been her head, he felt himself being pulled into a frenzied lust that needed to be released.

He cried out as he came, feeling his hot juice run down his leg. Then he felt a deep sleep sweep over him. Whatever that had been, it had drained all the energy out of his body, leaving him limp and lifeless. He slept better that night than he had in years, lost in the exhaustion of all that had happened, and the great wave of relief he felt as he released all that energy in one great explosion of pleasure.


	95. Chapter 94

CHAPTER NINTY FOUR 

House climbed into bed beside Cuddy, wrapping one arm around her waist. He felt her shudder at his touch, knowing she was afraid of what she might do to him. "I'm going to find a way to bring you back, and then you'll owe me for life."

"I don't owe you a thing. I've saved your ass countless times." She liked his teasing, it reminded her of her life, back in Princeton, of all the things she'd left behind to go on this fools errand, to save the world.

"Don't worry, there's only one thing I want as payment." He ran his hand across her flat stomach, his fingers slipping under her shirt.

"Please House, don't." She felt the hunger building up inside her.

"I need you Lisa." House kissed her stomach gently, his lips pressing against her tight flesh, sucking lightly on her soft skin.

"I can't." She closed her eyes tight, fighting back the desire to bite him. She felt the fangs fighting to break out.

"You don't have to do a thing." House unbuttoned her pants slowly, enjoying the glimpses of flesh as he went. "I am going to do all the work for a change. You just lay back and enjoy." He slid the tight pants down over her narrow hips. He felt her lift herself to aide him. "You know, I've never properly thanked you for all the times you've saved my life." He ran a finger over the edge of her thong, sending a chill through her body.

"House, you don't know what you're doing," she pleaded.

"I know how to pleasure a woman," House said, hurt by the accusation.

"No!" She felt the desperate need to break free of her bonds, and to sink her teeth into his tender, ripe flesh. "Please House, no!"

House wasn't listening. He was lost. There was something about that room, about the way the candles flickered over her pale skin, the way the music ebbed and flowed with his racing heart, the way the heady perfume wafted into his nostrils, making him lightheaded.

He saw her pull at her restraints, her arms and legs struggling against the hard metal. For a moment he felt guilty, he thought he saw blood trickling down from her wrist. He should stop this, leave her be, but he couldn't. She looked so beautiful, and she'd done so much for him, he had to do this one thing, for her.

His fingers slipped into the sides of her panties and slowly pulled them down. He saw her respond with excitement. A light sheen was forming over her flesh. She struggled to break free, but was powerless against the strong metal chains that held her.

"I love you Lisa," he whispered into her ear as he leaned up and kissed her gently.

She felt a tear filling each eye as she felt his lips brush against hers. She struggled to maintain control. She fought against her curse. And she lost. Her sharp fang sunk into his lip and she greedily slid her tongue over the small pool of blood forming there.

House pulled away, his hand flying to his lip. Rage flashed in his eye for just a moment. He wasn't mad at her, just at the situation. He saw the tears in her eyes and his heart shattered into a million pieces.

"I'm sorry House." She cried. "I tried to warn you." Her voice was frail and fractured. "You wouldn't listen."

"Shhhh." He ran a hand along her cheek. "It's only a little scrape. I'll live." He watched her close her eyes tightly and give in to his caress. "I'll just stay down where it's safe." He slid back down the length of the bed, his hand running along her side.

For a moment he laid there, his arm around her bare hips, hugging her tightly. He heard her stop crying, then he heard her chains rattling. For a moment he thought she'd broken loose, but looking up he saw she was still tied down. He felt relief quickly replace the panic.

He slipped one finger into the tangle of hair between her legs, and played with the curls, ringing them around the tip of his finger. She gasped and cried out, twisting and turning under his touch. He leaned over and kissed her pussy gently. He kissed her again, this time parting his lips and slipping his tongue into her.

She cried out, wailing like a banshee. She was more sensitive to his touch, more aware of him than she'd ever been before. She could smell he desire coming off him, mixed with the sweet scent of his blood. She could hear his blood, coursing through his veins. It was pumping louder and faster than before, being bolstered by his sexual excitement.

She bared her teeth with a hiss. She wanted him. She wanted to devour him. Every muscle in her body ached with the desire for him. She fought her restraints, feeling the cold hard metal cutting into her flesh. She cried out in pain.

House finished her off quickly, feeling her climax beneath him. He saw her body quiver and quake then fall still. She was panting heavily as he stroked her thigh. He nestled his head low on her stomach, his breath brushing through her damp curls.

He pulled his hand to his lip, where she'd bitten him. The blood had stopped flowing and all that was left was a pinprick sized cut. "We need to work out a few kinks, but I think this could work."

She simply groaned her response.

"I mean, I'm certainly not going to let you give me a blow job any time EVER, but I think we can work around that." He smiled, playing in her curls again and watching her body respond to his touch.

She made a small, whimpering sound.

"Do you still want to bite me?" He looked up at her, leaning on one elbow.

She nodded painfully.

"Oh." He thought about it. "How exactly does that work? Do you want to kill me?"

She shook her head quickly, her eyes big with fear.

"Well, that's good." He thought some more, about Bram Stoker's novel, about the countless Dracula movies he'd seen, about the many legends and myths surrounding vampires. "Are you hungry?"

She whimpered a yes.

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say. He had a million questions for her, but he really wasn't sure she could answer them.

He eventually fell asleep, his head resting on her stomach, his arms hugging her hips tightly.

Cuddy lay awake the rest of the night, sleep the farthest thing from her mind. She felt comforted by House's gently breath, blowing against her most delicate spot. It comforted her, but kept her awake, in a perpetual state of arousal. Her heart ached for him to take her once more, properly. To sink himself deep inside her, to clear her mind of all the horror and fear she felt creeping in.

The other agony, the one she felt would tear her apart, was the desire to destroy him, to sink her teeth deep into his neck, into his veins, and to drain the life from his body, to fill herself with his blood, to feast on his very life force.

She shut her eyes tight, trying to drown out the noise. She remembered Brenda Previn, her trusted head nurse. It seemed like a lifetime ago, when Brenda was struggling with a very similar problem, when Brenda felt the desire to kill, to feed on those she loved. In the end it had killed the good hearted nurse. Cuddy didn't have that luxury. She had a job to do. She had to stay and fight.

She wept silently through the night. House heard her tears, but didn't know what to do to stop them, so he pretended to sleep, wishing he could wake up from this nightmare.


	96. Chapter 95

**CHAPTER NINTY FIVE**

The next morning they were woken with bird song. Wilson, shook off the strange sensation that he hadn't actually been dreaming and got out of bed, still naked. He pulled on his clothes and washed up.

Bob, who had kept vigil over the untrustworthy Donatien all night, popped his head through the coffin and gave the vampire his wake up call. Donatien cursed him away as Horus came and slid the heavy metal top aside.

House blinked himself awake. He smiled as he gazed down at Cuddy's crotch. What a great way to wake up. He kissed it gently, then pulled his sore body up to a sitting position. She was still asleep. Her shirt pulled open, the rest of her naked. He smiled down at her and pushed aside a lock of her hair, then reached down and kissed her awake.

She tried to embrace him, but the chains were still holding her.

"Promise you won't bit me?" House smiled down at her playfully.

"I promise." She knew he only meant for the day. She couldn't make that promise when the sun fell from the sky.

"Well, then," he unchained her and helped her sit up, pulling her into his arms.

There was a knock on the door. House pulled the covers up over them. "Who is it?"

"Wilson," the man said.

"And Bob," Bob added disinterestedly.

"And your friendly neighborhood vampire," Donatien threw in, not wanting to be left out.

The door opened, and to their surprise it was Horus who stood before them. "And me." He said as an afterthought.

"Give us a minute." House ordered, annoyed at the interruption.

"The Queen wishes to see all of you, immediately." Horus was not amused.

"Alright, but I'm assuming she would prefer to see us dressed?" House waved them out of the room.

Horus shook his head slowly, then turned and left. House could tell the guard was just on the other side of the door, waiting impatiently.

"Are you alright?" He asked, massaging her arms.

"Weary."

"I didn't get much sleep either." He pulled her out of bed and helped her to get dressed.

They all ended up back in the throne room, waiting for the arrival of Queen Mab.

A great gust of wind blew in from behind one of the curtains and took the form of the Queen. She smiled and nodded at her guests.

"You sure do like to make an entrance." House stated blandly.

She just smiled at him. "I trust you all had a pleasant night."

Wilson looked at House who looked at Cuddy who looked at House who looked back at Wilson. "Yeah, yep, umhum." The all chose different ways to express their lie.

The Queen laughed heartily. "Well, Gregory House, I wasn't sure you'd make it through the night. I'm pleased."

"Are you?" He sounded doubtful and challenging.

"I am indeed. It means Lisa Cuddy has more control than most." She looked at Cuddy, into Cuddy. She was seeing something that seemed to please her. "That will make this go a lot faster."

"What?" House stepped toward the regal unapproachable queen. "I'm sick of being toyed with, sick of being pushed around like a pawn on a chess board. I want answers, and I want them now! Or I will take Cuddy and we will return to our bland little lives and wait for the end of the world like everyone else!" He felt Cuddy pulling at his arm, but shrugged her off. He was mad.

The Queen looked at him, her face showing no sign of what was going on in her mind. "Very well. But first you must be hungry." With a wave of her hand the throne room vanished and they were in a garden, in a gazebo, standing beside a table filled with every breakfast treat imaginable.

Wilson dug in quickly. House was standing his ground, looking defiantly at the Queen. "I want answers."

"And you will get them." The Queen floated into a seat and her plate filled with a variety of foods.

Donatien held a chair out for Cuddy, then sat beside her. "It's okay, we don't need to eat, but I still do, for the joy of it." He started scooping things onto his plate. "And the best part is, you can eat as much as you'd like and not gain weight." He winked at her.

Cuddy wasn't in a winking mood, nor did she feel like eating, but she did gulp down a large glass of juice.

"What's going on here?" House refused to sit. He was standing over all of them, watching them eat the food he was yearning for.

"That's a rather broad question Gregory House." The queen took a bit out of a sausage and put it back on her plate.

"Just House will do."

"Names are important Gregory House. That is the name you were given, and that is what I shall call you."

House rolled his eyes. "Who are you?"

"I told you, I'm Mabinogia, Queen of the Fairies."

"And what the hell does that mean, exactly?" He finally sat down, his legs too weak to hold him any longer.

"It means I preside over the fairies of the land." She knew that wasn't what he wanted to know, and she took pity on him. "Hellanto is a difficult place to just explain. But I think you are asking who's in charge around here." She looked into his eyes and saw she was right. "And that is not a question I can answer. There is no God Gregory House. Our world is about checks and balances. I am no stronger than the demons you are destined to fight. If I were, you never would have been drawn into this, none of you." Mab's eyes fell on Cuddy and a flash of pain flickered across them.

"But what must be must be."

"Bullshit!" House screamed at her. He could feel Cuddy's soft touch on his arm. She was weak. It was easy for him to pull away. "This is NOT our war, yet you lured us here, tricked us into fighting your battles for you, and you expect us to just accept it? You think we'll just bow down to your wishes because you call yourself a queen and can do some nifty pallor tricks?"

Mab sat quietly, letting him rant at her. When he stopped for breath she spoke quietly. "I did not bring you here. There are things you can't understand. Forces that have no corporeal form, that don't exist the way we understand existence, but they have power, they influence the events around us."

"So you don't believe in god but you still don't take responsibility for your actions?" House spat.

Mab smiled placatingly. "It doesn't matter who's to blame. What matters is that you are here, and there are things out there that want you dead. You are entirely within your right to turn down my offer of help, for YOU. However, I am extending my offer to Lisa Cuddy, and I will hear from her whether she chooses to accept it."

House wanted to speak, to say they didn't need this woman's help, but his mouth had stopped working. He just wanted to wake up in his bed at home, an empty bottle of pills rolling on the floor, a fifth of Jack Daniels in his gut. That world, as horrible as it may be, made sense to him, he had control in that world, he knew what was going on and could pull strings to change things. In this world he was impotent. More impotent than he had ever felt in his life.


	97. Chapter 96

CHAPTER NINTY SIX

Cuddy and Mab stared into one another's eyes for a long time. Cuddy seemed to be understanding things she couldn't have imagined. "Why him?" The words escaped from her mouth sadly.

"I do not know." Mab looked at House with curiosity then deep concern. "He would not have been my first choice."

House fumed, but still couldn't find the words to speak.

"You love him very much." It wasn't a question. "Perhaps that is why." Mab looked at Cuddy with a mother's eyes. If she could, she would have made this all go away, but that was not the way it worked. "You are special my dear, chosen…"

"By who?" Cuddy had wondered that most of her life. Why had she been chosen to fight things she didn't even believe existed? Who had hated her so much that they condemned her to this life?

Mab looked down, her stony countenance flickering for just a moment.

"It was YOU!" House finally found the power of speech. He stood up, pointing at the fairy queen. "You did this to her!"

Mab seemed, for the first time since they'd met her, fazed. "I chose her, yes." She was avoiding Cuddy's gaze.

"Why me?" Cuddy didn't know if she wanted to cry or scream or hit something really hard. She felt so many emotions pulling at her.

"It's…"

"DON'T say it's not an easy answer," House growled, hate in his blue eyes.

Mab looked down. She gulped loudly and gathered her words carefully. Her mouth kept opening and closing. It wasn't an easy answer. "I made you." She got the blank stares she was expecting. "It is my job, to appoint the Chosen One, to create her and place her in a worthy mortal."

"I was planted in my mother?" Cuddy felt the sting of these words. She'd never felt that close connection with her parents. She thought it was just because she was an ungrateful child, but could there have been more to it. "She's not really…my mother?"

"She raised you as her own. She never knew any different. She was your mother Lisa Cuddy." Mab had never come face to face with one of her Chosen. She was not enjoying it as much as she'd hoped. "I never intended for you to find out."

House dropped down into his seat in disbelief. This was not his fight, and he bit his tongue trying to stay out of it.

"I'm supposed to die in this battle, aren't I?" Cuddy had known this truth for a while now, felt it in her bones, but she had to hear it.

"That is how it must be." There seemed to be the hint of a tear in the corner of her eye as she looked away.

House shouted out a stream of obscenities and didn't stop until Cuddy took his face in her hands and silenced him with her lips. When he calmed down she sunk into his arms, clinging to him and burying her head in his neck. She breathed him in deeply, closing her eyes to absorb the smell of his blood, so close to the surface.

She pulled away from him quickly and ran from the garden. House ran after her.


	98. Chapter 97

**CHAPTER NINTY SEVEN**

Cuddy was leaning against a tree crying when he finally caught up with her. "I'm not going to let you die," he said with such certainty that for a moment she believed him.

"You heard her. That's they way it has to be." Cuddy fell gently into his arms.

"You don't really believe your future is decided, do you?" He waited for a reply but all she did was sniffle. "If that's what you think, then what's the point? Why bother living?" Still nothing. "I'll tell you why we go on living. Because we CAN change things, we CAN make a difference. This...Mab person, she has seen one possible chain of events that leads to your death. She underestimates you, and me." He was rubbing her back gently. He felt her starting to relax a bit, the soft sobbing was becoming less and less steady. "I'm not going to sit back and watch them use you like a pawn."

"That's your job," she said quietly.

House smiled. That was his Cuddy, the woman he had fallen in love with years ago. "Yes. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let some fairy princess..."

"Queen," Cuddy corrected, looking up at him, her head still resting on his shoulder.

"Whatever, she's no match for me, for us."

"You've got to convince Wilson to go home." She changed the subject so quickly it took him a minute to process what she'd said.

"No shit."

"I'm serious House. He's going to get himself killed."

"I was agreeing with you." House sighed and brushed back her hair. Her eyes were still glistening with tears. They looked darker than usual, and very troubled.

"Oh." She thought about telling him she wanted him to leave too, that she wanted to know he was safe, that it would help her to know he was out of harms way, but she knew he wouldn't listen, so she just held onto him tightly.

House looked into the distance, through a group of trees at the edge of the woods. He thought he saw something moving there, he thought he felt the tell tale signs of something watching him, something menacing, something that wanted him dead.

Cuddy felt tense in his arms.

"Do you feel it too?" 

"What?" She pulled away from him, looking off in the same direction.

"Someone is watching us." House whispered in her ear.

"Yes," she whispered back.

A lone figure came out of the woods, his hands raised in the air in surrender. "Lisa, it's only me...I come in peace." Harry realized how ridiculous that last bit sounded, but their last meeting had not gone so well, and he felt he had to win back her trust.

"Harry?" Cuddy looked at him, her eyes narrowed.

"I want to help." He was getting closer. "I'm sorry. Murphy was in trouble. I just did what I thought I had to."

"What changed your mind?" House shot at him, closing his arm tightly around Cuddy's waist.

"When I got away from my godmother I could think clearly and I remembered that she can't be trusted." He was standing in front of them now. He slowly, cautiously lowered his arms. He felt House move to attack, but Cuddy held him back. "I know that the only way to save Murphy is to defeat Lea, not give in to her."

"And we're supposed to believe this?" House scoffed. He fumed as he saw Cuddy nodding her head.

"Come with us Harry." She took her old friends hand and headed back to the garden. Mab would be able to sort this out, hopefully.

When they returned, they saw Mab and Donatien chatting while Bob paced pensively in the background. There was no sign of Wilson.

"Where's Wilson?" House demanded.

"He went inside." Mab gave him a curious sort of smile. "I think he went to take a nap." She knew for a fact that he had gone back to his room, she also knew that the last thing he intended to do was take a nap. She knew about last night, and that he was hoping it would happen again. She also made sure it would.

House didn't look like he believed her, but he moved on. "We have an intruder." He stepped aside as Cuddy walked in with Harry.

Mab nodded slowly. "Harry Dresden, Lea's godson."

"Your Royal Highness." Harry sunk into a deep bow. He had heard of Mab many times from his mother, from his godmother, but he didn't think he would ever actually meet her. He was humbled.

"Have you come to your senses then?" She put a hand under his chin and looked deep through his eyes. He felt a chill as she penetrated into his soul. Rather than answer, he waited for her to see the truth herself. "Very good." She pulled away. Lisa Cuddy can use your help."

Mab motioned them all to sit. "So, this is my band of heroes." She looked at each of them as she spoke of them. "Harry Dresden, a wizard with near royal lineage in the magical world. Hrothbert of Bainbridge, now a ghost, but still the most brilliant sorcerer to have ever lived. Donatien La Coeur de la Croix, the heart of the Cross, an ironic name for a vampire, but a noble one all the same. And Lisa Cuddy, my dear sweet Chosen One, braver and stronger than any other." 

"And a vampire," Cuddy whispered.

"Yes, I am sorry about that." Mab looked genuinely sorry.

"Then do something about it," House snotted.

"I would, if I could. And then there is you, Dr. Gregory House."

"What about me?" House was feeling very inadequate all of a sudden.

"You hold the key to everything."

"I thought I was the key," House said brattily. He was sick of all this cryptic lying.

"In a sense. But the real key to everything is the Omamori, the amulet given to you years ago, when you were just a boy."

"This?" House pulled out the small, ornate jade amulet he was wearing on his neck.

"Yes." Mab looked like she wanted to reach out and grab it, but also like she feared touching it. "It has great power, and you have been entrusted with it's safety."

"And what if I hand it over to these demons?"

"Naturally that is your choice." Her calm voice was made false by the sudden flash of fear in her eyes. "But I would suggest against it, lest you want the world as you know it to cease to exist."

House pondered this and shrugged. "The world as I know it sucks. Maybe it isn't such a bad thing to see it end."

"House!" Cuddy shot him a pleading glance. She didn't even want to hear him joke about it, not at a time like this.

Mab simply chose to ignore him. "I think it is time."

"Time for what?" Harry looked around to see if the others understood.

"Time to stand up and fight." Mab looked into each of them, assuring herself they were each ready.

"What about Wilson?" House queried.

"He will stay here with me for the time being. There is nothing he can do to help you."

"If you do anything to him..."

"I assure you Dr. Gregory House, he will be quite safe."

Mab seemed to have nothing more to say, because she got up and left without another word, leaving them to figure out what to do next.


	99. Chapter 98

**CHAPTER NINTY EIGHT**

Cuddy filled Harry in on all that had been happening. He told them everything about his meeting with his fairy godmother, and what she'd wanted him to do.

"How do we know you're not working for her?" House remained skeptical.

"I can't prove it. You either trust me or you don't." Harry was getting annoyed.

"I don't." House leaned back in his chair casually, his arms folded across his chest.

"I do." Bob had remained silent up till now. His words carried the weight of that silence and caught everyone's attention.

"Thank you Bob." Harry felt relief wash over him. He couldn't handle Bob not trusting him. He looked at Cuddy. "Lisa?"

"I don't know." House felt triumphant, Harry crushed. "But we need you Harry, so I'm going to have to risk it." She thought for a moment. "Does she know?"

Harry shook his head.

"And Murphy?" Cuddy wasn't sure she wanted to know, but she had to ask. The only way she could completely trust that Harry was on her side was the one thing she didn't want to hear.

"Lea's holding her prisoner."

"We'll do what we can to save her Harry, but our first priority has got to be the demons. Are you okay with that?" Cuddy was felling a bit of her old self again. Now that she had a team, and she felt she knew what needed to happen, she was ready to get out there and get it done. She was feeling more confident in her abilities now.

"Yes." There was a tinge of defiance in Harry's voice. He'd tried to hide it, but she already knew that the only thing he cared about right now was saving Murphy.

"Do you love her Harry?" Cuddy looked into his eyes. He had such warm, dark eyes, but they were very good at masking what was going on behind them.

"She's my friend Lisa. I can't abandon her." His voice cracked a little as he spoke.

"You won't. We'll get her back Harry, I promise." She wasn't sure in what condition, but she was almost as determined as Harry to rescue Murphy.

"Do you have a plan, boss?" House reached his hand out to hers, and clasped it gently. He shivered for a moment, forgetting how cold her flesh was now. He hoped she hadn't noticed, but her eyes said she had. She tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let her. He wasn't giving up on her now.

"We'll stay here for the night, then tomorrow, set off for...I don't really know where." She looked at Harry.

"I'll track them. You leave that to me." It felt good to be useful again, and to be back with his friends.

House narrowed his eyes. "Can't we just ask Mab?"

"I have a feeling she's told us all she can." Cuddy had every intention of asking Mab, but she didn't want Harry to know that. She wanted to see how accurate his 'tracking' was. She hoped he gave her the right answer.

Donatien was the first to feel the pull of the evening. He excused himself and left, grasping Cuddy's hand as he walked past. "Don't stay out too late my darling." He bent down and kissed her hand gently. House watched with a sneer.

"I won't." Cuddy watched him leave, then turned to House. "I should go in now."

"I'll come tie you up," he meant it to lighten the mood,

Bob and Harry remained outside. Bob was pacing behind Harry while the living man sat nervously, waiting for his mentor to say something.

"Harry," Bob's voice was icy and aloof.

"Bob," Harry tried to seem casual and buoyant.

"If you do anything to jeopardize Lisa's success..."

"I won't Bob. I get it. There's no point in saving Murphy if we're all going to end up slaves to the demons."

Bob smirked a laugh. "You don't believe that."

"I do."

"No, you don't. You would rather Murphy be alive and a slave than dead. I know you Harry. You're up to something."

"Then why did you say you believed me?"

"I said I trusted you Harry. There's a bit of a difference there." Bob smiled placatingly down at his friend. "I trust you to try and save Murphy. I trust you to do whatever it takes, stopping short of harming your other friends. These people are your friends, Harry, and their lives should be no more valuable than hers."

"They're not." Harry felt wounded. The truth often hurt.

"Good." Bob felt he had accomplished what he set out to. He did not envy Harry's position, but he knew that Harry Dresden was a good man, and when push came to shove, he would shove for the right team.


	100. Chapter 99

**CHAPTER NINTY NINE**

Wilson woke up in his own bed, a raging headache made bearable only by the feeling that he'd just spent the best night of his life with the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He turned over to look at her, but was disappointed to find himself alone. Had it all been some kind of dream?

He tried to think, but his head was pounding. He grabbed some aspirin from the bathroom and waited for his head to clear. Strange images passed through his mind as he sat alone in the dark apartment.

He flipped on the TV, hoping to see something that might clue him in to what had happened to him. The news was on, and he was horrified. The world seemed to be in chaos. What he was watching made no sense at all.

Vampire attacks, werewolves, whole towns of zombies, this had to be a joke. Was it Friday the 13th? Halloween? House! It had to be House, somehow playing a trick on him. It was just like House to do something like this, but not to go to all the trouble it must have taken to organize it.

He called House's number, no answer, he tried his cell, no service. His pager wasn't taking messages. He tried the hospital.

"Hello?" Cameron's familiar voice felt soothing.

"Dr. Cameron? It's Wilson. I need to speak to House. It's urgent."

"Dr. Wilson?!?" She sounded overjoyed and relieved. "But...I thought House was with you."

"What?"

"He hasn't been here in over a week." Her voice cracked into worry.

"A week? But I...I saw him just yesterday."

"Where?" Cameron sounded greedy for information.

"At the hospital." Wilson's mind was a blank to all that had happened to him in Hellanto. Queen Mab thought it better that way. If he knew his best friend was still in danger, he'd stupidly go after him. He was much better off not knowing.

Wilson heard a mumbled voice calling out on the other end. "Look, Dr. Wilson, I've got to run, the hospital is swamped, and with Cuddy missing, of all the times she could have...but, well, if you can, come down to the hospital. We need all the help we can get." She hung up.

Wilson stared at the receiver for a while. Nothing made sense. Cuddy, abandon her hospital? No way. House, missing, sure, but without telling him? And the news...could it be true? Is that why the hospital was swamped? He shook it all out of his head and got dressed.

Driving through the streets of Princeton on such a beautiful, sunny day, it seemed like everything was fine. No blood pouring through the streets, no roving bands of monsters attacking little old ladies on street corners. The streets were surprisingly empty on such a warm day, but it was a weekday, and most people were probably working.

He flipped on the radio, searching for music.

"...at the train depot...the acting mayor has officially set the city wide curfew at 6 PM. People, we urge you, do NOT go out after dark..." he flipped it off.

The hospital was bustling wit activity. He walked in and saw swarms of people, some sitting on floors, laying on gurneys, doctors running to and fro. He noticed the clean shaven head of Dr. Foreman.

"Foreman," he ran after the younger man.

"Dr. Wilson. Great, here, I need to go check on Mrs. Sykes. Can you take this one to your office?" He saw Wilson's uncertainty. "We need every available space, we've got patients in linen closets. I don't know where they hell you've been, but this place is a war zone, I need you to take this patient for me. Got it?" 

Wilson nodded and watched as Foreman vanished in a sea of people. Wilson looked at the chart, which turned out to be a scribbled bit of paper on an old clip board. "Rochelle Webster?" He looked at the short, squat black woman. She had a huge hole in her shoulder. "Says here..." he shook his head, blinked several times, squinted to try and read what was written on the piece of paper...

"Werewolf, doctor." She looked at him patiently. They were so desperate for help in hospitals all over the city that they were throwing lab coats on the janitors and handing them stethoscopes.

"Were...wolf." Wilson felt some strange tinge of recognition. "Werewolves..."

"Just give me the shot and I'll get out of your way, doctor."

"Shot..." Wilson stared at her blankly. He felt someone shove him out of the way. He watched as Nurse Espinoza plunged a syringe into the black woman's arm.

"Shot. Dr. Wilson." She handed him a pouch of syringes. "Haridosidomide for the werewolves, glucomicosine for the vampires. We give a jolt of steraminophen to zombies."

"I..."

"Just get out there. The morning rush is almost over."

Wilson felt a slip of paper shoved into his hand. It simply said 'vampire' so he gave the young man a shot of glucomicosine.

The morning rush ended about twenty minutes later and Wilson collapsed into one of the lobby benches. Someone pushed his feet aside and sat down. He looked up at Chase who handed him a coffee. "You did pretty good for your first time."

"Thanks." Wilson gulped down the hot coffee, burning his tongue.

"You get used to it." Chase looked out over the disaster area that was the lobby. Papers littered the floor, used syringes spilled out of every trash bin. Blood stains were spattered here and there.

"What's going on?" Wilson felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

"No one knows." Chase took a slow drink of coffee then sat reflectively for a moment. "It's been getting worse. Every night, more and more attacks. Used to be, just really late at night, in desolate areas, it was pretty easy to avoid being attacked. But the monsters are getting bolder. This old guy who lives in my complex was killed in the grocery store parking lot.

"We're worried, about House and Cuddy. No one has seen them since this started. Cameron knows something, but she's been pretty quiet."

"They're alive." Wilson wasn't sure how he knew this, but he did. "And they're going to put an end to all this."

"How?" Chase was vaguely aware of something, but it seemed so long ago.

"I don't know." Wilson slumped down. "Do these shots really cure these people?"

Chase laughed bitterly. "No. The lucky ones, it will help, but for most people it only postpones the inevitable."

"Then why bother?"

"It's the only chance we have. We can't just shoot anyone who's been infected."

A nurse came over and asked Chase a few questions which he quickly answered, sending her away. "Half the staff have fled town."

"So it's just here?"

"No. But it started here." He nodded at Foreman who was leaving. "His mother is really sick."

Cameron came over and stood in front of them. "Where is House?"

"I told you, I don't know." Wilson felt totally and utterly defeated.

"You must know."

"He's okay," Chase reached out and took her hand, but she pulled away. The young man frowned. "House can take care of himself." There was now a bitter resentment in his voice. It lingered as he changed his attention back to Wilson. "I'm working on a cure, but, I...I wish House was here. He'd be able to tell me why it's not working."

"You're cure won't work Chase because you're not that good a doctor." Cameron stormed off.

"She misses him." Chase looked like he was about to break down.

"We all miss him." Wilson tried to smile, but his mouth was uncooperative.

"Yeah."


	101. Chapter 100

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED**

A haggard, unkempt woman peered into the glass mirror, a look of deep concern covered her sharp features. "They're with Mabinogia." She slammed her hand toward the glass, shattering it into a million pieced, then turned her red eyes toward the insignificant little man behind her.

"I spoke to Nagesirod." He whimpered.

"And?" She demanded.

"She's furious. She thinks we tricked her, lied about the Chosen One."

"We did." She glared down at him.

"She refuses to help us. And she has warned Regnisnairb against helping as well."

Eitak looked out a narrow window into the darkness. "I didn't expect his help," she spat bitterly. "But Nagesirod, I thought she'd have more sense. I thought she'd understand what was best..." she turned quickly on her brother. "What did you say to her?"

"Noth...nothing." Erohs shrank back into a chair, clutching a small golden statue for protection.

"Something must have changed her mind," Eitak mused.

"Does it really matter? We don't need her. I can get Lea to rally the fairies to our side, and we've got..."

"The fairies? You mean Mabinogia's fairies? You're a fool Erohs, if you think they will go against their queen. A fool!"

"They will." Erohs straightened his back as much as he dared. "I spoke with Lea. She says they are dissatisfied with their Queen. They will side with us..."

"If?" Eitak knew as well as anybody that the fairies did nothing without cutting a deal first.

"If we give them freedom."

Eitak narrowed her glowing red eyes. "And then they will use their powers to take over..."

"They want segregation. They do not want to attack us."

"And you believe this?"

"Yes."

"You made her say it, I trust?" Fairies could not lie, not directly, though they had become masters of word manipulation, and one had to listen very carefully to what they said.

"Yes. I made her repeat it, slowly, and even made a few adjustments before agreeing to her terms." Opps! Erohs watched as smoke steamed out of his sister's ears. She was not happy.

"YOU AGREED? WITHOUT ASKING ME FIRST?"

"I don't need your permission Sister. We are equals."

Eitak laughed harshly. "You are not my equal Erohs. You are a fool. A fool and a dreamer. You would have been killed long ago trying to enact one of your idiotic take over the world schemes, if I wasn't there to save you. But if you don't appreciate all I've done for you..."

"No, no, I do, I do Eitak, it's just...this is my plan, and you're going to have to trust me this once." He looked at her with his big black eyes.

Eitak had always had a soft spot for the hapless idiot. He was a dreamer, and idealist. He always expected things to go his way, and Eitak had always been there, in the background, working to see that they did. She loved his enthusiasm, and his creativity, and though none of his scheme's to date had worked, she loved that he kept trying.

"You had better not screw this up Erohs." The steam had died down, and her fiery eyes had faded back to their usual orangey red. She had a bad feeling about this, but she couldn't bring herself to tell her brother. He just seemed so proud of himself.

"I won't." Erohs's body language had changed drastically in the last few minutes, from cowering fool to king of the world. Now, if Lea held up her end of the bargain everything would go as planned.


	102. Chapter 101

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ONE**

Lea paced back and forth, her long flowing dress trailed behind her, as did her long silvery hair. Murphy watched in awe.

"I just don't know what to do with you Connie Murphy." Lea ran a hand across the bars of the cell she'd been keeping Murphy in. "Harry has not fulfilled his promise, and so I can't let you go...but I will be away for some time, and I think it would be cruel to leave you here, all alone, with no one to care for you."

"I'll survive!" Murphy was a certain she could find a way to escape once all the watchful eyes were gone.

"I have no doubt you would Connie Murphy." Lea stopped and smiled at the petite woman. She looked her up and down and the smile turned to a frown. She shook her head and returned to her pacing. "But if I leave you alone, you will escape, and I can't have that either." Her cold eyes burned into Murphy sending the woman back a few paces. "No, we'll have to think of something else."

"Let me go and I'll never see Harry Dresden again!" Murphy meant it and Lea knew she did, but Lea also knew that Harry would never go for it, and he had ways of finding Murphy that the mortal could never counter.

"Very well," Lea thought her way around the issue of Harry. "But if you do, if you say one or more words to him, in any form verbal or otherwise, you will die, and he will live with the guilt of being the cause of your death." Lea's smile was cold and evil. Murphy stared at her in horror, but had no choice but to agree, or most likely die on the spot.

Foreman nearly tripped over the small, motionless body. She was lying between to cars and his attention had been focused elsewhere. "My God!" He quickly bent over to see if she was dead, or worse. She was neither.

"Where am I?" Muphy looked up into the black man's face. She felt a vague recognition.

"It's Dr. Foreman, I work for Dr. House?" He remembered almost instantly who she was. These days it was pretty hard to forget an ally, their being so few and far between now.

"Yes, Foreman." Murphy pushed away his attempt to help her and rose slowly to her feet.

"We should get you inside, get you checked out." Foreman again, gentlemanly offered her his arm for support, but she pushed past him and strode with a pained limp into the hospital.

Foreman rolled his eyes and followed her.

"What the hell?" Connie Murphy's eyes grew wide, and blinking seemed an impossibility as she looked around at the chaos. The morning rush was just beginning, and bodies were laying everywhere, some alive, some not so much. People walked down the halls like zombies, some of them even where zombies.

Dr. Cameron came rushing toward them. "Foreman, need you." She grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hall. Foreman looked back at Murphy for a moment, then realized she was quite capable of taking care of herself.

Murphy stood in a trance for a long moment, taking it all in. She didn't feel the tap on her shoulder the first time, or the second time, it wasn't until the third, almost abusive push that she finally looked over and saw James Wilson.

"Where have you been? How did you get here?"

"What's going on? Where's Harry?"

After a barrage of unanswered questions, they both sat together on a bench and filled the other in on what has been going on.

"Then he's okay?" Murphy felt an unexpected relief at hearing of Harry's whereabouts.

"As far as I know, yeah." Wilson was still vague on the details of what had happened to him, but most of it had come back, including that mysterious something that had visited him in the night.

"Well, thank God for that." She then went on instinct. "I've got to talk to him." She turned ghostly white. "NO!"

"No, what?" Wilson looked at her in confusion.

"I can't. I can't talk to him, ever again." Lea had made her promise never to tell anyone about their arrangement. Murphy burst into tears.

"What's wrong?" Wilson fell into his usual Knight in Shining Armor role, and put an arm around her, pulling her head onto his shoulder. He stroked her back gently and let her cry.

"I can't tell you. I can't tell anybody." She wept uncontrollably.


	103. Chapter 102

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWO**

House had learned the signs. Cuddy was about to wake up. He quickly unchained her, then lay down beside her, pulling her into his arms. He felt her stir in his arms, adjusting herself against him.

She could hear his heart beating. He was nervous. He was always nervous around her. She knew why, but tried not to think about it. "Are you awake?" She knew the answer. The fact that she was unchained told her he'd already woken up and taken care of her.

House groaned sleepily.

"I know you're awake House." She kissed his chest gently.

"Then why did you ask?" House complained, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you."

House groaned. It was nice to be appreciated, but it was a constant reminder of her condition, and he hated being reminded of it. "I'm starving. Are you up for some breakfast?"

"You go, I'll be down shortly." She kissed him and rolled away, letting him get up.

"Not a chance." He pulled her back into his arms. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight. He knew she'd try to run off, fight this battle by herself, and die. He kissed her deeply, and though he felt the sharp prick of a fang, he didn't stop.

Cuddy melted in his arms. She felt so protected, so safe, but she knew she wasn't, she was in more danger in his arms than anywhere else. Her tongue slid across the small hole in his lip, tasted the sweet, warm blood that bubbled to the surface. She moaned uncontrollably.

House felt fear wash over his body, but he refused to give in to it. He slid his hands under her nightgown, sliding the straps down her shoulders, exposing her breasts. His mouth slipped down along her flesh until he was suckling on one of her pert nipples.

Cuddy's fingernails scratched across his bare back. She felt like she wanted to tear him to shreds, to devour him completely. Her tongue slid across his neck. She could taste the sweet sweat. He was nervous, fearful, his fear tasted so good.

House felt her teeth pull against the skin of his neck, but he couldn't pull away. He wanted her too badly. "Control yourself," he warned, sliding his hands down her arms, seeing if she was still in enough control to respond.

She pulled her arms up over her head. She wanted him to tie her up, to protect them both. "Go ahead," she told him weakly.

"Are you sure?" God he wanted her to say yes. He shouldn't have even asked, but he couldn't not ask.

"I'm sure." She licked her lips, feeling her tongue press against the sharp fangs that only came out at night, or when she was aroused. And right now, though the sun struggled against the heavy damask curtains, she was definitely aroused.

House wasted no time. He knew he had no time to waste. Her eyes had become two black orbs, following his every move, her fangs were bared, and chomping for him.

Cuddy pulled at the chains. They were tight. House wasn't taking any chances. She closed her eyes, and felt his hands sliding down her body. Every cell inside her wanted to embrace him, to pull him into her, to make them one.

House was gentle, sliding the nightgown up over her head, thankful that it covered the chains, that painful reminder of what she was now. He kissed her stomach, sucking on the smooth flesh. He felt her responding pleasurably. She wanted this as much as he did. That, at least, made him feel a little less selfish and horrible.

"Oh House..." she breathed as his tongue slid down between her legs.

House brought his A game. He needed to make every time worth the pain and anguish. He flicked his tongue in and out quickly, licking it against her clitoris. He felt her body tensing as she thrashed around, gasping and crying out.

As her whole body shuddered with delight, House climbed on top of her, and sunk himself deep inside her. He wished she weren't tied down, that he could feel her hands running across his chest, feel her legs wrap tightly around his waist.

For a moment he leaned over her, his hands sliding up to hers, he felt the cold chains, his fingers searched for the lock. This was Cuddy, she would never harm him. He felt himself reaching over for the key.

"House, no!" Her eyes grew wide in terror. She knew what he was thinking. "You can't."

House wasn't listening. He was lost in his own ecstasy. His body pushing up against hers, all his weight was resting on one hand, the other searching for the key. He heard a strange hissing sound, and didn't realize what was happening until he felt the prick of sharp fangs on his neck.

He pulled back quickly, perched atop her, still deep inside her, unaware of any of that at the moment. His hand rushed to his neck.

She was crying. "It's too dangerous." She turned away from him. "I'm too dangerous."

"No!" House pulled his hand away from his neck. There was no blood. That was good. He grabbed her face and turned it toward him. "I love you Lisa. And nothing you do is going to change that." He kissed her carefully. "I wasn't thinking."

"Maybe we both need to be tied up," she tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a sob. She looked down the length of her nude body, to where his met hers. "Are you done down there?"

House looked down and felt a deep crimson blush spread across his whole body. Never in his life had he forgotten he was having sex while in the act. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Oh, I think so." Their banter was marred with the two red marks on his neck, which she was trying so hard to avoid looking at that she ended up staring right at them.

House decided to try something a little less tempting, and turned his body around, so she was staring at his ass now, and he was far away from the key and the temptation of releasing her.

He ran his hands down her long pale legs as he continued to twist on top of her.

"Nice view," Cuddy joked, and that joke alone made him feel worlds better.

"I thought you'd like it." He wiggled his ass for her a bit, which had the added bonus of wiggling his dick inside her. She let out a pleasured cry and he smiled proudly.

The one upside to being a vampire was that it didn't take nearly as much as it once did to make her climax, so despite the interruption, Cuddy felt herself reaching the breaking point only moments later.

House, for his part, found this new position quite helpful in his own orgasmic pursuit, and soon a wave of sperm burst into her.

He slid off her and turned back around. "You know, I think I prefer that end." He slid his hand down her leg.

"Bite me House!" She snapped.

"I think that's your fetish now, not mine." He kissed her breast, still weary about going near her fanged mouth, then smiled up at her. "But I'll give it a try if you like." Then his head went back down and he nipped at her nipple.

"OUCH!" She wanted to smack him so badly that she pulled at her chains and felt the pain rush down her arms.

House smiled. "I can do anything I want to you right now, can't I?" His fingers slid down her body and played with the soft tuft of hair between her legs.

"House!" She felt her body tingling at his touch, in a most aggravating way.

"Really, anything." He slid down further, and slipped his finger under her foot. He smiled slyly up at her, then tickled her feet playfully.

"House! I'm going to kill you!" She happily forgot for a moment that she could, actually kill him.

"Tell me you love me and I'll stop," He tried the other foot.

"You're a bastard!"

"Uh, not even close." He tried both hands. She was laughing uncontrollably, and the clear blue was back in her eyes.

"I love you, you asshole!" She shouted.

House stopped with the tickling and climbed along her body. He pressed down on top of her and gave her a big, passionate kiss. The fangs were gone, and his beloved Cuddy was back. "I love you too, bitch."

After that he untied her and held her in his arms for a while, until hunger got the better of him and they set out for breakfast.


	104. Chapter 103

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THREE**

Harry was the first to hear the voices, coming from down the hall. He recognized them instantly. "Bob?" He called to the skull that was sitting on his dresser. "Bob, come out?"

The ghost slowly materialized, a sneer on his tired looking face. "What is it now?" Harry had woken him several times through the night, and though, technically, ghosts didn't require sleep, Bob did enjoy time to himself, which he hadn't had in a while.

"Lea's here." Harry opened the door slowly and stuck his ear out the small crack. "Shhhh."

"I didn't say anything." Bob droned lifelessly as he passed through the door. He popped his head back in for a moment. "Are you coming?"

"Shhhh." Harry made his way stealthily down the hall. He nearly crashed into Donatien as the vampire walked out backwards.

Donatien instinctively lashed out until he saw Harry dodge his blow. "I didn't see you."

"Obviously." Harry looked into the room. Horus was in there doing something to the large, ornate coffin.

"It creaks when he opens it. I've asked him to fix that." Donatien followed Harry's gaze. "Ah, isn't that your godmother?"

"Yes." Harry crept his way down the hall, followed by Donatien and led by an impatient Bob, motioning them to hurry with his arm.

The voices were louder now, so the eavesdroppers stopped and pricked their ears.

"I thought you should know." Lea's high, sharp voice sounded gleeful.

"What do you expect me to do Lea? I am not going to change everything we stand for, everything we believe in just because there is unrest."

"Then you will face the consequences my Queen." The title was said with hatred.

"I suppose I shall." It was clear that whatever unrest they were discussing, Mab was not worried about it.

"You will regret this decision My Queen." Lea's voice could barely contain her contempt. "I hope you understand the price you are about to pay to protect these humans you hold so dear."

"I do, quite fully."

Harry looked at Donatien, who looked back. Without a word both men moved forward, toward the slightly open door.

"You will be sorry!" Lea's voice burned with rage.

"Yes, you mentioned that." Harry could make out a slight smirk on Mab's face.

"Not even your precious Chosen One is going to be able to save you now." Electricity seemed to be bouncing off the pale fairy. She seemed to want a fight.

"We shall see." Mab remained calm and collected. Harry studied her face for any sign of what was really going on in her head, but he couldn't see anything but a disinterested queen humoring one of her ladies in waiting.

Donatien, however, picked up on something that turned him even whiter than normal.

"What's wrong?" Harry gave him a good look after they dodged into an empty room to hide from the departing Lea.

"I don't know." Donatien looked off into nothing. "But Mab is scared, and that is NOT good."

The door swung open, nearly knocking both men to the ground. "You are right, Donatien. Things are not good." Mab stood staring at them, each man felt her eyes burning into him.

"What did my godmother want?" Harry had to know. He had to know if Lea had mentioned Murphy. He knew his partner was alive, he could just feel it, but he had no idea in what condition.

"She wanted to gloat. She believes that in a few days or perhaps weeks time, she will be residing in this palace and wearing my crown."

"Why would she think that?" Harry barked.

"Because she has sided with the enemy, and that enemy is very powerful. I will not lie, I can not lie. There is a good chance she will be sitting on the thrown in a fairly short amount of time. However, I intend to make it as difficult as possible." She didn't need to tell them to follow her, they just knew that was what she wanted, and they obeyed.

House and Cuddy were already sitting at breakfast; House had a huge plate of food in front of him. Cuddy had an even larger one.

"Good," Mab sat down and a plate appeared in front of her, full of her favorite things. "You'll need your strength." She was looking at House. Not really at him, but at the small amulet he was wearing around his neck. "Keep hold of that Gregory House. Should it fall in the wrong hands, we will all be doomed."

Harry and Donatien grabbed plates and food and completed the table.

"Where's Bob?" Cuddy looked up from her all you can eat special.

Harry looked around for the first time noticing his friend was gone. "He was with us..."

"I believe your ghostly friend followed the fairy Lea to wherever it is she was headed." Mab looked off into the distance. "Yes, that is where he has gone. He will come back when he has something to tell us." She continued eating.

It didn't take long for Bob to return. They had hardly finished eating when his ghostly form materialized beside the table.

"Bob! You're back!" Harry felt a strange urge to hug his friend tightly. The thought of losing Bob after losing Murphy was more than he could handle right now.

"Yes, I am." Bob looked down at him quizzically. "And I come bearing information." Bob looked longingly at a chocolate croissant. "It appears your wicked godmother has taken sides with the Terrible Twosome."

House, Harry and Cuddy frowned at him in confusion.

"Eitak and Erohs."

"Of course!" Harry sounded slightly relieved. He much preferred knowing what he was dealing with, even if it was something completely insurmountable. "Leave it to Lea to do something totally and utterly immoral." Harry's expression changed quickly. "Did she say anything about Murphy?"

Bob looked sadly down at his friend. "Alas, no. I saw no sign of your Lieutenant Murphy. I am sorry Harry." Bob put out his hand, as though he would rest it on his friends shoulder, but he just let it hang there in the air for a moment before pulling it back. "But I do have more. It seems that good old Nagesirod was duped by the Terrible Two." He looked over at Cuddy, a hopeful smile on his face. "She did believe she was helping you Lisa."

"That makes it so much better," Cuddy replied sarcastically.

Bob winced a bit. "I know it doesn't really, but I thought you should know."

"No, this is good." Mab's wheels were turning. "Should the four demons unite, we would not stand a chance against them."

"And they intend to start a fairy war, probably to cover up their own actions." Bob continued.

"Yes," Mab nodded. "That is what Lea came here to brag about."

"It's a trick, a distraction." House scoffed.

"No, really?" Bob snarked.

"It is time." Mab spoke so suddenly people got whiplash turning to face her.

"Time for what?" Harry was having issues processing all that was going on. All he could think of was what had happened to Murphy.

"Time to make the first move." Mab looked at him curiously, as though wondering if all humans were that stupid. "They will only grow stronger. We must move now. Put them on the defensive before they have time to rally more supporters."

"Who the hell would support them?" House cried out in disbelief.

"You might be surprised. Here in Hellanto, creatures are very likely to follow whomever they think has the most power." They have found a way to prevent me from being much help. Once the fairy uprising begins, I will have to focus on that, leaving you to your own devices. The sooner we begin to prepare, the more help I can be."

""Well that's just crap, isn't it!" House crumbled a half slice of bread in his hands and threw it on his plate. "Total crap!"

"Think what you like Gregory House. It is the way."

House threw a roll at her. "Enough with the cryptic crap!"

She smiled as the roll dropped in front of her. "Very well." Mab smiled. She liked his gumption. The demons certainly had their hands full. "I will not let my people perish to save yours. That is why there is a Chosen One. She has been chosen to save your people as I have been chosen to save mine. Ideally both fairies and mortals would not be in danger at the same time, but neither of our worlds are ideal, and we both now have wars to fight."

Donatien whispered something in Cuddy's ear, and House's attention was immediately drawn in that direction. "We can do this." He was speaking to everyone, but his arm was around Cuddy's shoulder and he was looking into her eyes. "They won this battle, but the war is not over yet." His voice didn't share the confidence of his words. "But we must be prepared." Donatien had always considered himself a lover, not a fighter, but if need be, he was fully prepared to kick a little demon ass. "Come, I will teach you everything I know." He stood up and, taking her by the hand, led her out of her seat.

House glared as the vampire walked her out of the room.


	105. Chapter 104

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR**

Cuddy was not surprised to see a fully equipped training room at the end of the hall. It hadn't been there just the day before, but she wasn't surprised to see it now. Donatien seemed to take it in stride as well.

He closed the door behind them, then turned and smiled at her. "Well, this should be fun."

"I am not sure about your idea of fun." Cuddy looked around at the fake bodies and the weapons lining the walls.

"Oh come now, Lisa darling. Don't tell me you haven't enjoyed our little battles." He walked toward her in what could only be called a prowl. She watched his every move.

"I don't know if enjoyed would be the right word for it." She watched as he circled around her slowly. She felt his hand brush against her hair.

"Well, I have enjoyed them, more than with any of the others." He sniffed her hair, his teeth drawn as the sensation washed over him.

"Others?" She turned her head quickly, removing herself from his touch.

"The other Slayers. You don't think you were the first do you?" He raised an eyebrow mockingly.

"I know there were more before me, and if we succeed in stopping the demons, there will be others after me."

"Well, I don't know about that." Donatien lunged at her, and was pleased to see her dodge out of the way just in time.

"Why?" Cuddy swung at him, but missed.

"Because, my love, you are immortal now." He spun around and kicked her legs out from under her. He smiled triumphantly down at her, and held out his hand.

She got up on her own, and punched him unsuspectingly in the gut. "I don't want to spend eternity like this." She gave him a spinning kick which knocked him off his feet.

He held out his hand for help getting up. Cuddy took it, and he flung her up and over his head. She came down hard on the padded floor.

"You bastard!" She got up as fast as he did, and charged at him.

"That's it, get angry." Donatien side stepped and watched her stop herself quickly and spin around to face him. "I'm surprised you can still move like this, at your age."

Rage flashed in her eyes and they grew darker and darker. She could feel the monster taking hold of her. She struggled to fight it.

"Don't fight it." Donatien grabbed a staff off the wall and threw it at her, then grabbed his own. "Let go." He jabbed at her staff with his, over and over until she responded. "Let it wash over you."

"I can't." She felt fear holding her back. She did not like the idea of losing control. Control was all she ever had, and she was good at it. Losing it now, well, she had no idea what might happen. She thrust her staff into his gut and sent him flying back and onto the floor.

Donatien did a quick jump to his feet and came at her with the speed of a bat. "You love him, don't you?" He looked in her blackened eyes.

"You're talking about House." She looked back into his blackened eyes. She could see the centuries of his life reflected in them.

"The one and thank god the only." Donatien began attacking her with sharp, quick jabs, each of which she deflected easily.

"I do." She went from defense to offense, sending Donatien backward step by step.

"Have you had sex with him?" Donatien's smile was seductive and creepy all at the same time.

"That's none of your business!" She cracked him in the head with her staff.

Donatien fell with the impact, but rolled out of the way of her staff as she sent it driving into the floor. "No, but I can't help but be curious."

He watched as one swift movement from her caused his staff to snap in two. He shrugged and spun each smaller piece in his hands.

"Have you...as a..." She used all her strength to snap her own staff in two, finding it ill equipped to defend her against his two short pointy sticks.

"Have I had vampire sex?" He smiled and lashed out, hitting her arm pretty hard. "Loads of times."

"Without killing the girl?" Cuddy retaliated by jabbing the pointy end of one of her sticks through his leg.

"I'm not a monster you know." He tossed his sticks aside and grabbed at her wrists.

"Actually, Donatien, you are a monster. At least where I come from." She struggled to break free of his grasp, finally releasing her weapons and grabbing the sleeves of his blouse.

"Ah, you say monster, I say red hot lover." He pulled into her and kissed her hard on the mouth.

Cuddy felt a wave of conflicting emotions. She felt the hunger that coursed through her veins and lusted after his blood, she felt the shock of his actions, and a sense of betrayal. He knew she was in love with House, so why was he kissing her.

Her fangs grew sharp and longed to pierce his skin. He could sense it, because he felt the same way. He pulled away from her quickly. "You want to taste me?" she nodded and thrashed her head toward him. "You want to feed on my sweet blood?" He was teasing her, bringing his bare neck closer to her mouth. Her teeth bit out, grazing his skin. "Focus that energy Lisa. Don't try to fight it." He let go of her and dashed out of the way as she lunged at him.

"I'm going to kill you," she sounded frightfully certain.

Donatien laughed. "Oh Princess, I've been doing this a lot longer than you have." He dashed in close to her. She smelled his fresh blood pulsing just beneath his translucent skin. "You couldn't kill me if you wanted to." He was gone, coming up behind her. He had her trapped in his arms.

He brushed away her hair and saw her neck tilt in the right direction. She was willing him to bite her. The memory of her taste flashed through his mind. He channeled it. He ran his tongue over her skin. He could just make out the two small scars, where he'd bitten her not so long ago.

"Are you going to let me feed on you again?" He scoffed, holding her tighter.

Cuddy felt a rage wash over her. All the desire and passion she was feeling, all the longing and need became focused in her hate. She broke out of his grasp and spun around so quickly he didn't have time to react. She had him by the throat, lifted inches off the ground. "I am the Chosen One, Donatien. It is my birth right to kill vampires like you." She hissed at him, teeth glistening in the dim firelight.

"That's my girl!" Donatien seemed more proud than scared. "But I've been doing this for centuries my love." He pried her hand open and shoved her away. "It's going to take a lot more than blood lust to kill me." He flew across the room, quite literally, his legs lifting off the ground and the puffy sleeves of his poets blouse billowing out around him.

He grabbed a sword and took his stance. Rage flashed red across Cuddy's jet black eyes. She channeled all her energy into getting the other sword, and felt herself propelled forward, her feet scrapping across the floor as she sailed toward the sword.

"We'll have to work on that. No finesse." Donatien shook his head in disappointment.

"Work on this!" Cuddy slashed at his arm with her sword.

"You bitch! This is my favorite shirt!" Donatien slashed back, ripping across the front of her shirt.

"How dare you!" She slashed at his waist and his pants slid down his thin white legs.

"Trying to undress me now are you?" Donatien smiled.

"You wish!" Cuddy cut a crimson line down the front of his chest. Donatien actually cried out a little, but not in pain as would be expected.

"Yes, my lovely, I do wish." He made a few quick slashes, and soon her breasts where peaking out between holes in her shirt.

"I don't have anything else to wear!" She looked down in horror before charging at him.

"I don't see what's wrong with what you're wearing now."

"Perhaps I can clear it up for you Donatien." The cool, icy voice stopped them both dead in their tracks. Mab was watching them with cool, evaluating eyes. "She seems to be learning quickly."

"I'm a wonderful teacher." Donatien replaced his and Cuddy's swords on the wall.

Cuddy felt the darkness lifting from her eyes. Though she couldn't see it, she knew they were their vibrant blue once more. She also felt the burden of desire lifted off her. The battle was little more than a vague memory.

"It looks like a change of wardrobe is in order." Mab smiled and pointed to a closet that Cuddy was certain wasn't there before. "You, come with me." She stared into Donatien's eyes and he gulped nervously as he followed her out.


	106. Chapter 105

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE**

That night, armed with an arsenal of weapons and protections, the quartet, plus one ghost, set out to hunt down their enemies. Mab waved them off, sending every protection she could after them. She felt confident that Donatien had taken her words to heart, and that he would do everything in his power to protect the Chosen One.

"Do we even know where we're going?" House limped along at the back of the pack, Cuddy staying by his side.

"Harry has the map. He knows this land better than any of us do."

"Excuse me," Donatien, who had tried to stay close enough to her that he could easily jump to her defense, but far enough away so that she didn't feel smothered, turned to stare at her.

Cuddy laughed gently. "Sorry Donatien, but knowing all the best places to party in Hellanto isn't really going to help us right now."

"Hmph!" Donatien quickened his step a little, her words having stung with the bitter prick of truth.

"Shhhh." Harry was trying to use his inner eye to help guide him. The inner eye caused his senses to be on high alert, and every word they said was echoing loudly in his head.

"So sorry," Donatien snotted.

The continued along in silence.

They headed deeper and deeper into the woods as the sun began to set. The result was nearly pitch darkness. Donatien lit a torch. "Put that out!" Harry demanded.

"I'd rather see where we are going, if you don't mind." Donatien snotted.

"I do mind. Put that out." Harry grabbed for the torch, but Donatien was blessed with supernatural speed and grabbed him by the neck. Harry rose several inches above the ground before Cuddy demanded he be put down.

"We need the light Harry. I know it hurts your eyes, but the rest of us can't see a thing." She put a reassuring hand on his arm.

"You're vampires, how can you not see in the dark?" Harry snapped.

Cuddy really wished he hadn't said that. She could feel House behind her tensing up.

"So sorry I exist." House clenched his fist tightly around his cane.

Harry shot him a look. "I don't know why you came along. You've done nothing but hold us back since we started."

"I am the whole reason you're making this journey. I'll be damned if I'm going to sit back home and twiddle my thumbs." Cuddy was now holding him back. Donatien took Harry by the arms and pulled him in the opposite direction.

"Yes, Dr. House, you ARE the reason we're in this mess." Harry couldn't control his rage any longer. "You're the reason Murphy is...god knows where in god knows what kind of condition, and the reason Lisa has to die to save the world. It is all because of you! YOU!"

"It is NOT House's fault." Cuddy finally had enough. "He was given a gift. It's not his fault that a pair of power crazed demons want it. What would you have him do, give it to them?"

"That is not a good idea." Bob materialized into the darkness, glowing slightly, like any self respecting ghost would do. "That amulet is the key that will unlock hell itself." Bob spoke heavily, hoping they all grasped the importance of what he was saying.

"Huh?" Harry and House both turned and looked at him at the same time. Donatien looked mostly bored, and Cuddy was still focused on keeping House under control.

"What do you mean Bob?" Cuddy finally caught up with the others.

"I had a little chat with the lovely Queen Mab last night. She was most helpful." Bob had a strange sort of smile on his face. Harry narrowed his eyes and Cuddy smiled at the randy old ghost.

"I'm sure she was Bob, but what did she say about the amulet?" Cuddy had a feeling there was a lot more than talking going on last night.

"The Omamori is a Shinto amulet of protection. It is protecting us from them." He got confused looks all around. "Basically, it is the only thing keeping the demons from totally taking over our world. It holds them at bay. They can, through random rifts in the fabric of time and space, cross over into our realm, but they are weakened and nearly powerless on our side. But if they get and destroy the Omamori, then there will be nothing differentiating our two worlds, and they can walk the earth with their powers in tact."

"And they'll destroy it," Donatien informed them. He was smarter than he pretended to be most of the time.

"And this," House held up the small stone and metal amulet, "can do all that?"

"Yes, it can."

"Then why the FUCK are we bringing it to them?" House snapped.

Donatien took over the conversation. "Because if we don't get this over with, there will be no Earth left worth saving. You do know what's going on over there, no?" All but Bob shook their heads. "Monsters are walking around like they own the place. People are dying. The longer we run away from this, the worse it's going to be when we get back."

"We?" House cocked an eyebrow.

"I am a human vampire, Dr. House. I belong on the other side, with you. I care as much about the human realm as the rest of you." He looked around, feeling defensive.

Cuddy straightened herself up tall and straight, a look of fiery passion was in her eyes. "Come on, we're wasting time."

"It's too dark. We should stop here for the night." Harry was tired.

"No. We're going on." Cuddy looked around her in Donatien's dim light. "I know where we are. We're not far. Come on." She grabbed the torch out of the vampires hand and led the way confidently through the woods.

It wasn't long before they fell on a spot House recognized immediately. It was where he woke up naked and in Cuddy's arms. "What are we doing here?"

Cuddy ignored him, looking around her. She saw a log laying on it's side. It was quite a bit bigger than all the others, and hollowed out. She knocked on the top of it. "I hope you can here me your highness. Please come out King Pingus. I need your help." She felt like an idiot as she stepped back and waited, four sets of eyes staring at her back.

House walked over and put his arm around his waist. "You think they will help us?" He didn't sound convinced.

"Yes. They've got as much at stake as we do." She looked hopefully at the hole.

"They who?" Harry walked over and tried to see what they were looking at.

Donatien joined them, smiling knowingly. "Ah, the nymphs. I once...ah, but that is best left in private."

Everyone looked at him and he blushed and stepped away.

A small flickering of light, like a lightening bug, flashed around the old log. House and Cuddy stepped back while Harry bend down to take a closer look.

Harry jumped back when something landed on his nose and gave it a little kick. "It's rude to stare!" Said a voice much louder than it should have been from such a small body.

Harry shook his head and King Pingus fluttered off his nose and grew to a human size. "Ah, The Chosen One has returned." He bowed.

"You said if I ever needed anything..."

"But of course." Two more lights came out of the log and formed two beautiful young women on either side of Pingus. One of them glared over at Donatien, who quickly looked down, kicking at the dirt. "We are at your service."

"For a start, we need a place to stay for the night." Cuddy worried that she would soon be asking them for too much.

"That is easily given." After a very short ritual, they found themselves inside the wood nymphs kingdom once more. "But I think you want more from us than just a simple bed for the night."

"We can discuss that in the morning." Harry was dead tired.

"Oh, silly me, you must be tired. Go and take your rest. Mixy and Flit will show you to your rooms."


	107. Chapter 106

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIX 

The night passed quietly. Everyone was much too tired to even bother dreaming. As they settled down in the same room where they had made love only days before, House realized that there was one thing they'd forgotten to pack. He looked over at Cuddy, already laying in the bed, curled up with her hands tucked under her head.

He smiled down at her as he pulled up the covers. If she did kill him in his sleep tonight, well, he could think of worse ways to die. He climbed carefully into the bed and felt her snuggle up against him.

She didn't even realize she'd been unchained until the next morning, when she woke with her head on his chest, listening to his gentle heartbeat. "House?" She jumped up, startled.

"What?" He sleepily pulled her back into his arms.

"You didn't...I wasn't..."

"Mab seems to think you don't need it." He kissed her gently. "Do you want to kill me?"

"Most of the time." She smiled and laughed gently. "But not too much at the moment." She could smell his blood, she wanted to taste his blood, but more than that she wanted him to live.

House didn't want to press his luck, so he pulled himself out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Harry woke around the same time, in his own room. He stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking of Murphy. Finally he got up and pulled her old business card out of his wallet. It was ratty and had a tear in the corner, but it was all he had of her, and he needed it to work his spell.

He sat on the bed, the sheets forming a circle around the worn card, and began his chant. He swung his searching crystal over the card and waited. He stared, not daring to blink in case he missed something as the small clear crystal swayed back and forth over the card, trying to locate it's owner.

After several minutes of swaying it slowly fell still. Harry put it in his pocket, followed by the card which he very carefully placed back in his wallet. At least the crystal hadn't exploded. That meant she was still alive, wherever she was.

"Bob?" Harry looked at the skull sitting on his side table. "Get up sleepy head." He tapped on the skull gently.

"I'm up." Bob groaned, slowly seeping out of the eyes of the skull and forming on the floor beside the bed. "What do you want?"

"I want Murphy back, safe and sound."

"What do you want that I can actually do for you?" Bob clarified with a tinge of annoyance.

"I don't know, what CAN you do?"

"Not much." Bob stood there, his shoulders seemed to hunch just a bit.

"That makes two of us." Harry fell back against his pillow.

"Well, as stimulating as this conversation is, was there any other reason you called me out here? Or am I just supposed to stand here and commiserate with you?"

"We should head down to breakfast." Harry got dressed quickly.

Donatien had spent the night out. Without his precious coffin, he felt no need for sleep. Instead he wandered the forest for prey.

The forest was uncommonly quiet, no sound of small animals running through the brush, no call of the night owl marking the time. Donatien felt a bristling on the back of his neck, every hair was on end. Trouble was close.

He faded into the night, as only a vampire could. Imperceptible to all but the most powerful magic, he watched and waited. He didn't know what to expect, so he prepared himself for anything.

Voices came out of the distant darkness. His curiosity was peaked. One was the distinct, cold voice of the Fairy Lea. The other was her sister, the Fairy Brianna. Whatever they were discussing was of the utmost importance, so Donatien stepped a little closer, to get a better listen.

"Queen Mab will have her supporters lea." Brianna's voice was as soft and warm as her sister's was cold and hard. "There are many who still believe in her."

"And are you one, my sister?" Lea's voice was like daggers.

"I am." Brianna's voice seemed weak compared to her sister's, but the defiance and strength behind it were unmistakable. "As is Rosetta."

"Yes, well, I have spoken to Morgana, and she agrees with me..."

"Of course she does," Brianna snapped like a petulant child. "She always agrees with you."

"As Rosetta always agrees with you." Donatien could hear Lea's cold, heartless smile. "It appears we are once again at an impass. We shall see which side is triumphant this time."

"Yes, we shall."

Donatien didn't hold out much hope for Brianna's team. She didn't sound quite as willing to do whatever it took to win. Lea, on the other hand, would probably sell her soul to the devil, or maybe she already had, to get what she wanted.

"Someone is here!" Lea's head snapped around until she was staring directly at Donatien. "Someone's been listening." Her voice took on a taunting quality that chilled him to his bones.

"Are you sure?" Brianna turned too, and though she seemed softer than Lea, the soulless look in her eyes let him know she would show him no mercy.

"Ah, you caught me." Donatien knew they saw him. There was no point in denying it. His only chance was the overwhelming bravado that had gotten him out of even tighter spots than this one. "I can not deny it. I saw two extraordinarily beautiful women out on such a warm and sensuous night, and I just could not surrender my attentions to anything else." He took slow, measured steps toward them. Neither of them moved a muscle, or so much as blinked.

"You're...you're a vampire!" Brianna moved back a few steps, gripping her sisters arm.

Lea pulled away from her and stood her ground. "I know you. You're that bottom feeder, Donatien Lavesque."

"I prefer Donatien, la Couer de la Croix," he spoke with a flourish.

"I'm sure you do," Lea said snidely.

"And I am NOT a bottom feeder." Donatien snapped. "I am a..."

"Twat?" Lea tried to help him out.

Donatien barred his teeth. He had had enough. He flew at Lea so quickly the fairy hadn't had time to react. She felt the razor sharp teeth plunge into her neck and let out a piercing scream that woke every creature in Hellanto.

The vampire, stunned by the scream, stepped back a few paces and watched, along with her sister, as Lea collapsed into a small, insignificant little figure.

"What the..." Donatien was blinking so rapidly his eyes hurt.

Brianna turned to him, fear spread across her pale face. "Don't...don't come near me. I promise I won't harm you." He could smell the fear in her blood, see her desire to run in the twitching of her muscles, but she did not move. She knew she couldn't outrun him.

"What just happened?" Donatien had picked up the tiny, glowing Lea by her hair and was holding her up to his face.

"You, you don't know?" Brianna stumbled over her words. "You...what did you expect would happen?"

"I don't know. Perhaps that I would get a nice meal, and, if there were a God, she would die."

"Fairies can't di...die." Brianna was still fighting the instinct to flee, but she didn't want to suffer the same fate as her sister.

"Then what happened to her?" Donatien was shaking the tiny Lea rather more than he had to, but he was convinced she deserved it.

"You have absorbed her powers, of course." Brianna was compelled to tell him the truth. It was one of the Fairies best kept secrets and had only happened twice before in the entire history of the Fairies. "To drink a fairy's blood is to become a fairy."

"Wait!" Donatien dropped Lea to the ground. "You mean to tell me, I'm a fucking fairy now?" Donatien was not happy at this news.

"You should be honored!" Brianna finally stood her ground. No one insulted her kind.

"And her?" Donatien kicked at the ground where Lea was standing, sending dirt into her face.

"Without her powers she is the lowest class of fairy, the pixie." Brianna said this with a certain amount of distaste.

Donatien began to laugh uncontrollably. This was unbelievable, even for Hellanto. As he laughed, Brianna tried to make a getaway, but much to his delight, Donatien hadn't lost his vampire powers, and quickly cut her off. "Not so fast there, fairy princess."

Brianna stopped short and stared at him anxiously.

"I've got a lot of questions for you." He put an arm around her shoulder and ran a finger down her neck.

"Please don't bite me." She trembled.

"I promise I won't, if you do something for me." Donatien looked down and noticed that her dress was cut much lower than he'd thought. He saw her supple white breasts heaving up and down nervously.

"I'll do anything." Brianna couldn't lie. She would do anything to avoid the same fate that befell her evil sister. A royal fairy knocked down to pixie would be ridiculed, and tormented and most likely enslaved by the very people who once feared and obeyed her.

"Good. That's what I like to hear." Donatien pulled her along with him, back through the forest, leaving the pixie Lea far behind.


	108. Chapter 107

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN**

Donatien found everyone seated at the table for breakfast. He introduced Brianna with his usual flourish, then told them all of what had happened that night.

"A fairy?" House sneered.

"A fairy prince," Donatien corrected. Everyone snickered as Brianna, sitting beside him, rolled her eyes.

"And what is she here for?" Harry had issues with fairies, his one godmother having been one, and a not so nice one at that. He didn't trust the lot of them.

"She is here to help me adjust to my new situation." Donatien looked over at the beautiful redhead. If he played his cards right, she might stick around for other things as well.

"Oh." Brianna had been pestering him the whole way back about what he wanted from her, but all he'd told her was 'you'll know soon enough'. Looked like it was now soon enough. "What is it you want to know?" She was a lot more relaxed now. Donatien, now a fairy, couldn't lie to her, so all she had to do was cooperate, and he would not destroy her as he had her sister.

"What can I do?" Donatien was as excited as an overly excited puppy. He bounced in his seat as he looked anxiously at his new best friend. "I mean, what kind of special powers do I have?" He hoped that he would now be a bigger help in the fight.

"That's not an easy question to answer." Brianna bit her lip. She didn't want to give away all her secrets, but if he compelled her, she would have to.

"Then start with the good stuff. You said I can't be killed?"

"You're a vampire, you already can't be killed," House guffawed.

"SHE can kill me." Donatien nodded toward Cuddy who just smiled innocently.

"No, you cannot be killed, by anyone, ever. You are eternal." Brianna spoke her words carefully.

"So you've been alive since the beginning of time?" House said doubtfully.

"I have. We all have." Brianna looked around her. She knew these mortals wouldn't understand.

"So what's the worst thing that can happen to me?" Donatien was first and foremost concerned with himself.

"Well, there is what you did to Lea." Brianna smiled slightly at that. Lea was her enemy, and with her gone, there was a chance the fairy war would never happen. "or you could be frozen for all eternity, trapped in glass, helpless to save yourself, unable to interact with the world around you, a phantom of sorts, but always and forever aware of your plight." She began to cry.

"What is it?" Donatien put an arm around her. He wasn't even aware that he had done so until her head collapsed on his shoulder.

"Probly happen somum she lov," House explained through a mouth full of breakfast.

"I'm sorry," Donatien said so softly and so tenderly that she looked up at him and smiled.

"It was a very long time ago." Brianna wiped her eyes.

"Ah, yes, the past never really dies does it?" Donatien tried very hard not to think about his own long past.

"Needless to say, there are worse things than death." Brianna looked around the room. Everyone's face was sullen, reflecting on those far too true words.

"Uh," Donatien wanted to change the subject quickly. "What about in battle? Do I have mad fighting skills?"

Brianna laughed. "Fairies are peaceful, I'm afraid."

"But you are the most powerful creatures in Hellanto, next to the demons. Surely you have super strength or something." Donatien was desperate. What was the point of being a flippin' fairy if you couldn't kick a little ass?

"We have control over the elements, the weather and nature." There it was, the information he'd been waiting for.

"Oh really?" Donatien tried to make it rain, but didn't know how to begin. "You'll have to teach me how to do that." It might come in handy, if he could bring down a hail of stones on the demons, it might just hamper their progress a bit.

"Of course." She bowed her head to him. Technically, in fairy terms, she was his superior. Male fairies were considered weaker, not as respected; but he was also a vampire, which did give him an edge. She shook off a flash of something that had entered her mind and looked to anyone to speak.

Cuddy and House had been whispering, heads together, through much of the conversation. Now they had parted. "King Pingus, if it is alright with you, we would ask to stay a few extra days, to allow Donatien to learn to harness some of his new powers."

"Of course, of course," Pingus said joyously. "You are always welcome amongst us. You are our savior and we shall assist in any way we can." He bowed down before her.

"Thank you, your majesty." Cuddy nodded her head politely.


	109. Chapter 108

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT 

After breakfast, Flit showed Brianna and Donatien to an empty ballroom where they could work. She shut the door behind her, but hurried to the small window where Mixy was already waiting. Together they watched avidly as the pair set to work.

"You're not going to try to trick me, are you?" Harry had filled him in on fairy deceptions. Donatien dismissed him as paranoid, but it had planted a little tiny seed of doubt in his mind.

"We are the same now, Donatien, and we are on the same team. It would not be to my best interests to send you into this battle unprepared."

Donatien narrowed his eyes. "Answer yes or no to the following question. Are you going to try to trick me in any way?"

Brianna thought about this. "Yes. At some point I will most likely try to trick you, but not today."

"Good enough." Donatien knew he had to accept this as his victory because odds are he wouldn't get another. "Let's get started."

Brianna explained, to the best of her ability, how to control the weather, and after several hours of trying, Donatien could make it snow in the ballroom. Flit and Mixy silently cheered from their balcony. By the end of the day he could cause all of the natural weather phenomenon; rain, snow, sleet, hail, thunder and lightening, wind storms, and even a very small hurricane.

Donatien concentrated, and waved his hands as Brianna had taught him. He felt the wind around him pick up. It swirled around in front of him until a small cone shape formed. "I did it!" He yelled, almost losing the storm.

"Focus," Brianna warned him, watching proudly as he quickly built the tornado back up.

Once it was formed enough, Donatien thrust his hands forward and sent the small storm on it's way. The tornado propelled forward, gaining both speed and size as it went. They both yelped with surprise as it tunneled through the wall and headed off down the hallway. "Stop that storm!" Brianna ordered.

As impressive as Donatien's building skills had been, he was still having serious issues stopping his creations. He went running down the hall after the tornado. Brianna went running after him. Mixy and Flit giggled with delight up on their balcony, then hurried to catch more of the action.

House grabbed Cuddy and threw her against the wall. She was about to say something clever when she saw the tornado coming at them and realized House wasn't just being frisky. "What the hell was that?" She watched as it passed them by, followed by Donatien, Brianna, Flit and Mixy.

"Come on." House grabbed her hand and followed the crowd.

King Pingus was on his glittering throne, signing royal decrees when the small tornado came crashing through the wall across the room. "What is the meaning of this?" He demanded.

Donatien, Brianna, Flit, Mixy, House and Cuddy all piled in through the cone shaped hole in the wall and crashed into one another as Donatien stopped in his tracks.

Brianna, finally able to catch her breath, managed to stop the tornado and shrink it down to nothing.

"Oh father, you should have seen it," Flit and Mixy ran up to him, speaking in chorus. "He made it snow," Flit continued.

"It was so beautiful," Mixy added.

"Well, I damned well hope it has stopped." Pingus was no longer the affable, jovial little nymph king. He was a strong, fierce ruler, and he was not pleased with the destruction of his castle.

"It has your Majesty." Brianna bowed before him. "And I will repair all damages to your lovely castle."

"And I too am sorry Your Majesty." Donatien bowed lower and more ostentatiously than the fairy had. It was habit.

"You should be." Pingus' tone was still stern, but his face had softened as the two Princesses tugged at him and warned him to be nice.


End file.
